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The Looping Starship was added to the park for the 1985 season, and was part of the trend in parks throughout the country to add the latest version of the Swinging Ship ride, which completed a full loop.   Six Flags and other park companies installed these INTAMIN built rides with various themes of boats, planes and Space Shuttles.  The Space Shuttle was dismantled during the 2007-2008 off-season.

	Looping Starship was introduced as the thrilling new attraction of the 1985 season.   The ride followed in the footsteps of the INTAMIN Swinging Ship rides that Six flags had rolled out to many of their park in previous seasons.   Like the previous Swinging Ships, it offered high capacity, reliability and visual excitement, and it took the concept of the swinging ship ride to the next level. The ride was placed across from the former location of the Haunted Castle after it had been destroyed by fire in the previous season.   The area needed a new attraction as the former Castle site was left as a garden.    The Looping Starship drew riders and spectators as it was highly visible from the park's front gate. For the first season, the Looping Starship bore the name "Challenger", which was removed in the 1985-86 off season after the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January 28, 1986. For the 1985 and 1986 seasons, Looping Starship operated without the now familiar screen over the passenger area.   Quite often showers of rider loose articles would drop our of the ride as it hung in the inverted position.  In 1987, a black net was stretched across the passenger compartment to catch falling objects, then in 1988, the current metal screen was added. Another modification to the ride was the removal of the twin fiberglass "engines" which sat on either side of the traction beam.  These hollow cones would vibrate as the ride cycled, and it was feared the vibrations would eventually shake them loose, so they were removed for the 1986 season.   From 1985 to 1989, Looping Starship lacked any proper sign.   A sign was added for the 1990 season, and was in place until the end of 1992, when the ride was renamed and re-themed.
Listen to the Looping Starship Radio Commercial:
Technical Information     Manufacturer: Intamin AG, Switzerland Ride Model: Looping Starship     Ride Name: 1985-1992 Looping Starship   1993-Present Space Shuttle     Opening Date: April 1985     Width: Approx. 63 ft Flight Path: Approx. 84 ft     Capacity: Approx. 1200 persons per hour     Ride Cycle Time: Approx. 2 minutes     Seats: 50 passengers per shuttle   10 rows with 5 seats each   All rows face center - 5 face right and 5 face left     Restraints: Guests are secured individually by padded lap bars,   neck harnesses, and seat belts     Features: Guest experience up to three G-forces   Shuttle is powered by four drive tires mounted    at the ride base   Space Shuttle features wings which pass under   the load/unload platforms
	With Time Warner's purchase of Six Flags, a concerted effort was made to bring theme to areas of the park which were something of a hodge-podge of unrelated rides and elements.   Though the Looping Starship was more or less in a German themed section of the park, it was included in the new Movietown area, as part of a theme makeover.   The line was rerouted to enter in the Movietown section, and as part of that re-routing, a themed queue was added, with pictures evoking the Warner Brother movie, The Right Stuff.   Together with the adjacent Scrambler ride, the newly renamed Space Shuttle were given somewhat elaborate new lighting, fences and other theme elements to enhance their ties to the film. The Space Shuttle sign which it still has today was added at this time, and even details like sponsor signs were given a thematic overlay to further incorporate them into the surroundings.
	In the fall of 1996, the Space Shuttle was closed before the season ended, and disassembly began for its eventual removal to the other side of the park. The Space Shuttle and G-Force (Scrambler) were being moved in preparation for the addition of Batman & Robin: The Chiller for the 1997 season.   Both would be relocating to new homes at the top of the Boardwalk Area, near the Right Stuff Mach 1 Adventure and other flight themed attractions which were part of the Edwards Air Force Base area. The rides were relocated along with most of their theme elements to their new location during the off-season.
	Before the end of the 1996 season, site preparations had already begun for the Space Shuttle's new home.   The massive footings and below ground pit for the drive tires were nearly complete before the final day of the season. By opening day of 1997, the Space Shuttle had been re-assembled and was operating in its new location, framed by the boomerang element of the Great American Scream Machine.
	Watch Video Of Looping Starship In Action:
	Over the years, the Space Shuttle has been through several extensive rehabs, often being closed for long stretches. For the 2004 season, the Space Shuttle sat dormant for the entire season, as the power requirements caused problems for the adjoining Alcatraz interactive simulator attraction. The Space Shuttle returned to service for the 2005 season, but often would remain closed for days or weeks at a time due to staffing constraints.   In the 2007-2008 off-season, the Space Shuttle was removed from the park.

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	Go To The Official Six Flags Great Adventure Website For Current Park Information