Now it looks like plans have changed for that jet, and it's headed back to Houston.
The shuttle carrier aircraft is another big part of the space shuttle program. Several space websites are reporting that one of the planes scheduled to be disassembled and used for spare parts will now stay the Johnson Space Center.
Preserving the special 747 is something many people in the Clear Lake area say they'd like to see.
"Unfortunately, we didn't get any of the actual shuttles but anything associated with the shuttle, like the shuttle terminator aircraft of the 747 or the simulators, they ought to be here," said George Abbey with the Rice University Baker Institute.
"Anything that has to do with the shuttle program belongs in Houston because this is where the program's trained, this is where the program was administered, this is where everything happened with the shuttle and it should be here," health food store owner John Milstead said.
"It's a good thing. At least we have something," Frenchie's restaurant owner Frankie Camera said.
The people there say they support anything the Johnson Space Center can get related to the space shuttle program, but there are still some very hard feelings that Houston didn't get one of the actual shuttles that made flight.
The 747 is already at Ellington Field, but there's no word yet regarding further plans.
