Article content

Years of decay have forced the Canada Science and Technology Museum to condemn two more landmarks: The popular Atlas rocket and the pumpjack on its front lawn.

Both must be dismantled in case they fall on someone, although there’s no date set for the work. It could begin in a few weeks.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Science and Tech Museum will lose rocket, pumpjack Back to video

“For safety reasons related to their deterioration, the Atlas rocket and the oil pumpjack that have for many years graced the lawns of Technology Park in front of the Canada Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) will be removed,” the museum announced Tuesday.

The pumpjack is the green machine that acts as the above-ground drive system for the pump in an oil well. Thousands of them dot the land in Western Canada.

The shiny Atlas rocket is the property of the United States Air Force and has been here on loan since 1973, but the Americans don’t want it back.

They have, however, specified that it has to be cut down into tiny pieces so that no one could possibly figure out how to reassemble them. Most Altases were satellite launch systems, but in the early years they also carried intercontinental ballistic missiles.