Shuttle Discovery Mated to 747 Carrier for her Final Flight to Smithsonian Home

[American Horse]

Today (Sunday, April 15), the winds calmed and technicians raised Discovery and mechanically bolted her atop the SCA jet, designated NASA 905.

“It may have taken two days because of weather, but Discovery was attached to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft today (April 15),” NASA KSC spokesman Allard Beutel told Universe Today after the mating operation was finished.

“And we’re on track to give Discovery a proper send off to its new home on Tuesday morning.”

NASA 905 will carry out all the remaining flights to ferry Space Shuttles Discovery, Enterprise and Endeavour to their permanent museum sites in Virginia, New York and California.

The last remaining shuttle – Atlantis – will be towed later this year to her new home a few miles down the road at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

More on the story....

 

[The Infidel]

Sad

 

[RoadVirus]

And now to rely on Russian technology to get us to the International Space Station until our agenda-driven politicos decide what to do with NASA and the future of space travel.

 

[American Horse]

Anyone living in the Chantilli, Virginia area near Washington/Dulles Airport will get chance to see this on Tuesday the 17th of April - weather permitting.

 

[American Horse]

On Fox and Friends, I saw it just now flying up the coast leaving KSC.

It ought to be flying over the Washington DC, N.E. Virginia area in a couple of hours or about 9:30 - 10:00 or thereabouts.

 

[old navy]

My wife is driving home now from the banks of the Potomac. She said she got some great pictures.

 

[Si modo]

I was watching it!

Totally awesome.

Discovery is home, now.

The pilot even made extra unplanned passes. The pilot flew under 1500'. It was great to see all the folks out watching her.

Some were even misty-eyed.

Sorta chokes me up.

Pic from CBS News

 

[Dr.Traveler]

Sad.

 

[old navy]

One of our teachers took this picture as it flew past our school. My classroom windows face the Potomac but by the time I looked out, it had already passed.

 

[old navy]

My wife took this picture standing on the river bank. She captured the 747 with shuttle, the scout plane, and an eagle. Cool stuff.

 

[American Horse]

The Enterprise, presently at the Smithsonian will be loaded aboard the NASA 905 by the same KSC crew that prepped Discovery. Enterprise will be ferried to New York City. They don't have the Mate-DeMate device at Dulles so heavy duty cranes will be uses with special slings, which applies to Enterptise also.

Endeavor will be moved later this year to California, date unknown.

NASA Shuttle Carrier 905 carried Enterprise to Europe and back for a tour in 1983, and was the same carrier which conducted the approach/landing tests between February and November of 1977, for those who remember those.
I do .