Hobbies and Collections | Subscribe Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 13, 2008 in Fandom

The famous rocketship of Coney Island is looking for a new home as the long time amusement park Astroland will be forced to close down on January 31st. As a fanboy this breaks my heart as the spacecraft captures the excitement held by America for the high frontier at the dawn of the space race in the early 60s. To me this rocket belongs in the Smithsonian or the Seattle Science Fiction Museum, although I’d love to see it stay here in old New York:

Astroland Rocket Ship Looking For New Home

“The Coney Island History Project is looking for a new home for Astroland’s famed Rocket Ship. The group says a museum, park, or other public venue would be ideal, but they are open to other ideas. The rocket debuted in 1962 as the first ride at Astroland. The 26-seat ride simulates the feeling of being in outer space. The Rocket Ship has been sealed shut for 35 years and currently sits atop the boardwalk hamburger/hot dog stand. Owners say they cannot find a way to store it. Those who know of a good home for the rocket are asked to e-mail Lois Colin at lsastroland at aol dot com.”

Here’s a photo by David Shankbone of the soon to be marooned spacecraft: