Shuttle orbital vehicle 95 at the Johnson Space Center in Houston has never flown into space, but it has made possible all other space shuttle missions. Known as the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory, or SAIL, it is a comprehensive mock-up for testing all phases of a shuttle mission -- safely on the ground.
During the 15 years it has taken to fully assemble the International Space Station, all the various station elements have gone together as planned during orbital assembly some 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the Earth -- thanks in large measure to a Boeing team in Houston that makes sure all the parts fit before they are transported to the station.
It’s known simply by the acronym BGIR (pronounced bigger). And it’s getting a lot of attention for its potential within the company. The Boeing Geospatial Intelligence Repository is a high-tech library developed by employees.