SKGSJULAX From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 78 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 4193 times:
Is there a way to find out in advance when the 747SCA and Atlantis will be heading back to Florida from Edwards? Is there a location where the take-off can be viewed from? This might be the last time a shuttle leaves Edwards on the SCA and I 'd like to take the kids to see it.
Trigged From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 497 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 11 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 4140 times:
Generally the time on that is about 7 days, but the weather here in KSC has been lousy. The guys I talked to at the OPF Tuesday said they were expecting it in about 8-10 days unless something came up that they were not aware of.
Lexy From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 2362 posts, RR: 9 Reply 2, posted (3 years 11 months 3 weeks 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 3943 times:
Anyone got any info on the routing of the flight. A southerly flight is possible, but a northern routing is alos a possiblity.
HaveBlue From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 2069 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (3 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 3658 times:
So it is scheduled to land around 6pm today at KSC? Does anyone know of a good place to view it coming in from? I know you can't get 'close' but is there a reasonable chance of getting a peek of it coming in on final?
Jhooper From United States of America, joined Dec 2001, 6195 posts, RR: 13 Reply 5, posted (3 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 3646 times:
Dang, it made a surprise stop right here in San Antonio! Left about 15 min ago. I could have seen it, but I missed it! Will probably never come through here again
Next stop is Columbus AFB, MS around 1:30pm
Last year 1,944 New Yorkers saw something and said something.
HaveBlue From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 2069 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (3 years 11 months 3 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 3572 times:
Just got back from seeing it land, awesome! Took my girlfriend down and it was both our first times. Was on Playalinda Beach Blvd. on the north side just north of the approach end of runway 15 along with several others who had gathered. Got there just as the C-9 Pathfinder was on final. A short time later the T-38 came in and then we saw the SCA coming down the river. He went south to Sebastian, came back did a flyby and came out over us, did a teardrop turn and landed. It was spectacular!
MadameConcorde From San Marino, joined Feb 2007, 10243 posts, RR: 40 Reply 7, posted (3 years 11 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3411 times:
I saw a Space Shuttle flying piggyback on a 747-200 at the Paris Air Show.
This is a long time ago in 1983. I think the Shuttle they took to Paris was Enterprise.
Wasn't this the first Space Shuttle?
They must have made several stops from where they came on their way to Paris Le Bourget. They were quite a sight and probably quite a heavy pair!
There was a better way to fly it was called Concorde
HaveBlue From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 2069 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (3 years 11 months 3 weeks 23 hours ago) and read 3405 times:
Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 7): I saw a Space Shuttle flying piggyback on a 747-200 at the Paris Air Show.
This is a long time ago in 1983. I think the Shuttle they took to Paris was Enterprise.
Wasn't this the first Space Shuttle?
They are 747-100's and yes the Enterprise was the first shuttle, but not a fully functional shuttle as it was never intended to go into space. It was used for drop tests to glide back to the runway to try out the handling chararcteristics and for all the ground handling and other hardware test-to-fit scenarios.
ZANL188 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 3247 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 3317 times:
Some of the ferry crew posted a blog.... neat stuff...
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19695 posts, RR: 56 Reply 10, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 3171 times:
So this thought occurred to me today:
What happens to the fairing that goes over the orbiter's engines? Is it stored at KSC or EDW (I'd imagine EDW)? And how does it get back to EDW from KSC? Is it flown (and if so, on what)? Trucked?
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
TPA36R From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 210 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 3135 times:
Quoting Mir (Reply 10): What happens to the fairing that goes over the orbiter's engines? Is it stored at KSC or EDW (I'd imagine EDW)? And how does it get back to EDW from KSC? Is it flown (and if so, on what)? Trucked?
Wow, talking about weird. I was thinking the exact same thing when I opened this thread. They would have to store them at alternate landing sites to be prepared for such a ferry wouldnt they? Atleast at EDW anyway...
Rwessel From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 1989 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 3117 times:
Quoting Mir (Reply 10): What happens to the fairing that goes over the orbiter's engines? Is it stored at KSC or EDW (I'd imagine EDW)? And how does it get back to EDW from KSC? Is it flown (and if so, on what)? Trucked?
Interesting question. Some speculation:
If they take the bubbles for the OMS pods and the top off (both of which look fairly removable), it looks like the fairing would fit in a C-5. It's not particularly heavy (about 10,000lbs), just bulky. NASA does usually have a C-5 floating around when the retrieve the shuttle from Edwards.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19695 posts, RR: 56 Reply 13, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 18 hours ago) and read 3094 times:
Quoting TPA36R (Reply 11): They would have to store them at alternate landing sites to be prepared for such a ferry wouldnt they?
Not necessarily. If they store it at KSC, then they ship it out to wherever the shuttle has landed, and then the shuttle brings it back to KSC on the SCA. Or, they store it at EDW, and have to get it back out to EDW after the shuttle comes to KSC.
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
MD-90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 8418 posts, RR: 13 Reply 14, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 3066 times:
Man oh man oh MAN I am upset that I missed seeing it at Columbus AFB on June 2! I didn't know about it landing here until the day after.
MD-90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 8418 posts, RR: 13 Reply 15, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 3065 times:
Haha I love this quote from the ferry flight blog:
Quote: Southerners sure know how to make a shuttle team feel appreciated.
We made our final fuel stop of the trip at Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi. We arrived here to a very warm reception. As we were landing I looked out the window of the C-9 and saw a long line of cars parked along the road with people waiting to see Atlantis come in. They tell me that some of the people were even tailgating! That's the way to do it right.
Sounds like MSU fans to me. I just wished I'd been one of them.
PC12Fan From United States of America, joined Jan 2007, 2236 posts, RR: 5 Reply 16, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 3045 times:
Quoting Rwessel (Reply 12): It might also break down into smaller pieces.
IIRC, this is the case. The entire fairing breaks down but I have no idea how it is transported.
Just when I think you've said the stupidest thing ever, you keep talkin'!
HaveBlue From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 2069 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (3 years 11 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 3033 times:
Quoting Rwessel (Reply 12): NASA does usually have a C-5 floating around when the retrieve the shuttle from Edwards.
If you type in Titusville and look at KSC on Mapquest, zoom in on the Mate DeMate device tarmac pad and you'll see a C-5 sitting there. Just thought that was interesting.
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I just wished I'd been one of them.
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