| Posted on May 31, 2009 11:50:46 PM | Dan Kanigan | 9 Comments | |
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Late last night (or really, early this morning) Atlantis was attached to the 747 in preparation for the Ferry Flight. Everything went pretty smoothly and the team is still working crazy to get everything ready to go.
I found out more about the 747 that is giving Atlantis a lift home. The 747 is officially called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft or SCA. (We have a thing for acronyms here at NASA.) NASA has 2 of them and they’re both here at Dryden.
The SCAs were originally commercial 747s, but NASA made a couple of changes. They are obviously modified to be able to attach the orbiter on their backs with two connecting points near the back of the plane and one near the front. The tails of the planes are also different. They have two additional vertical stabilizers to help with stabilization during the flight.
All the passenger area has been stripped of galleys, carpeting and even some of the ductwork. NASA needed to make them as light as possible since we're adding a shuttle orbiter on top. The planes still weigh more than 300,000 pounds and the drag added by having an orbiter on top adds another 190,000 pounds or more. These planes need to work twice as hard as a normal 747.
If you’re interested in the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, check out this link:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-013-DFRC.html
Tags : Atlantis, Daniel Kanigan, Edwards Air Force Base, STS-125, ferry flight, piggyback, space shuttle
Great explanation - I never realised it would be so complex an undertaking to fly the shuttle back home. Didn't realise that rain could cause damage, thought it was only when doing multi-mach numbers that it would be critical.
One has to admire NASA's detailed mission planning - from concept, through vehicle assembly, launch, orbit, landing and getting the orbiter home. Just takes one small item to be overlooked - or a bolt to stick (should take a can of WD40 next time, although I guess inadvertant use of the can could rocket the user into an orbit around the sun...)
I have enjoyed the Hubble Mission immensely...keep it up guys and gals, great work!
More missions please..
Regards
Don Dennis, Australia
How does the Orbiter Aerodynamic Tail Cone Assembly get back to Edwards AFB after a shuttle ferry flight back to KSC. How many of them are there? Is it the same tail cone/cones that flew on the Enterprise test flights back in the 70's.
Thanks
Buck8Point
here's a link to the live tracking of the shuttle to Florida
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA911
Add one more to the list interested in the flight path. Hoping for a Huntsville, AL stop!
hope you will be stopping in Fort Worth, TX. I was able to see the last shuttle that stopped here and what an amazing sight it is.
Any news on where the stop will be on the flight back to Fl.
I live in Sugar Land and if it does land at Ellington would the public be able to view from the tarmac.We did this a number of years ago.Thanks
will atlantis make a stop at barksdale afb in louisiana on its way back to florida... would like to see if fly in and take off...best regards jhh
Dan,
Can you ask (and let us know) if the orbiters wings provide any 'lift' whilst flying on top of the 747?
Thanks!
Andrew - Derbyshire, England
When will we know the flight schedule? Love to take my kids to see it if she stops in Houston. My dad took me to see her when she stopped in Tulsa when I was a boy and I will never forget it!