Discovery leaves Edwards AFB on the back of a Shuttle Carrier enroute to Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Space Shuttle Columbia atop Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) N905NA, after the successful STS-32 mission, fly by the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) are two extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA uses to transport space shuttle orbiters. One is a 747-100 model, while the other is a short range 747-100SR. Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... STS-32 was the 33rd launch of the Space Shuttle and the 9th launch of Space Shuttle Columbia. ... The Vehicle (originally Vertical) Assembly Building, or VAB, is a very large building located at in NASAs Kennedy Space Center, halfway between Jacksonville and Miami, and due east of Orlando on Merritt Island, on the Atlantic coast of Florida. ... Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center (shown in white). ... The Boeing 747, sometimes nicknamed the Jumbo Jet,[4][5] is a long-haul, widebody commercial airliner manufactured by Boeing in the United States. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... This article is about the space vehicle. ...

The SCAs are used to ferry space shuttles from landing sites back to the launch complex at the Kennedy Space Center, or more specifically, the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility, and to and from other locations too distant for the orbiters to be delivered by ground transport. The orbiters are placed on top of the SCAs by Mate-Demate Devices, large gantry-like structures which hoist the orbiters off the ground for post-flight servicing, and then mate them with the SCAs for ferry flights. Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center (shown in white). ... The NASA Shuttle Landing Facility (IATA: TTS, ICAO: KTTS) is an airport located in the city of Titusville in Brevard County, Florida, USA. It is a part of the John F. Kennedy Space Center and is used by the NASA Space Shuttle, military aircraft and civilian aircraft. ... Container ship Rita being loaded at Copenhagen by a portainer crane A portainer (also known as a gantry crane, container crane, container handling gantry crane, quay crane, ship-to-shore crane, STS crane or a dockside crane) is a very large crane used to load and unload container ships, and...

In early test flights, the shuttle was released from SCA during flight, and the shuttle glided to a landing under its own control.^[1]

Development

The first aircraft, a Boeing 747-100 registered N905NA, was originally manufactured for American Airlines and still carried visible American markings while testing Enterprise in the 1970s. It was acquired in 1974 and initially used for trailing wake vortex research as part of a broader study by NASA Dryden, as well as Shuttle tests involving a F-104 flying in close formation and simulating a "release" from the 747. American Airlines, Inc. ... The Space Shuttle Enterprise (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-101) was the first Space Shuttle built for NASA. It was constructed without engines or a functional heat shield, and was therefore not capable of space operations; its purpose was to perform test flights in the atmosphere. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Dryden Flight Research Centers fleet of aircraft in 1993. ... The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was the last of the day fighters, a high-performance supersonic interceptor aircraft capable of high speeds and climb rates. ...

Space Shuttle Enterprise and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft at CFB Goose Bay, Labrador during a fuel stop en route to a European tour in 1983.

The aircraft was extensively modified in 1976: its cabin was stripped, mounting struts added, and the fuselage strengthened; vertical stabilizers were added to the tail to aid stability when the Orbiter was being carried. (In practice, these were very rarely removed). The avionics and engines were also upgraded, and an escape system similar to that used on Boeing's first 747 test flights was added to ship N905NA. The flight crew escape tunnel system was later removed following the completion of the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) due to concerns over possible engine ingestion of an escaping crew member. Image File history File links Space_shuttle_goose_bay. ... Image File history File links Space_shuttle_goose_bay. ... The Space Shuttle Enterprise (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-101) was the first Space Shuttle built for NASA. It was constructed without engines or a functional heat shield, and was therefore not capable of space operations; its purpose was to perform test flights in the atmosphere. ... Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Goose Bay, also referred to as 5 Wing Goose Bay or Goose Bay Airport, (IATA: YYR, ICAO: CYYR) is an air force base in eastern Canada, located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. ... Labrador (also Coast of Labrador) is a region of Atlantic Canada. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The C-5 Galaxy was considered for the shuttle-carrier role by NASA, but rejected in favor of the 747 — in part due to the 747's low-wing design in comparison to the C-5's high-wing design, and also due to the consideration that U.S. Air Force would have retained ownership of the C-5 aircraft, while NASA would have been able to own the 747s outright. The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a military transport aircraft designed to provide strategic heavy airlift over intercontinental distances. ... Seal of the Air Force. ...

The first class section in the nose of N905NA. This is the only area on the main deck that has not been stripped to the bare metal.

Flying with the additional drag and weight of the Orbiter imposes fuel and altitude penalties - the range is reduced to just over 1000 nautical miles (1900 km), compared to an unladen range of 5500 nautical miles (10,000 km), requiring an SCA to stop several times to refuel on a transcontinental flight. The SCA has an altitude ceiling of 25,000 feet and a maximum cruise speed of 0.7 mach, with or without the orbiter attached. It takes a crew of about 170 a week to prepare the shuttle and SCA for flight.^[2]

Studies were conducted to equip the SCA with aerial refueling equipment, a modification already made to several U.S. Air Force 747s. However, during formation flying with a tanker aircraft to test refueling approaches, minor cracks were spotted on the tailfin of N905NA. While these were not likely caused by the test flights, it was felt that there was no sense taking unnecessary risks. Since there was no urgent need to provide an aerial refueling capacity, the tests were suspended. Boom and receptacle: USAF KC-135R Stratotanker, two F-15s (twin fins) and two F-16s, on an aerial refueling training mission IAF Il-76 MD refueling two Mirage 2000 fighter jets German Luftwaffe Airbus A310 MRTT ready for refueling, shown at the Paris Air Show 2007 Aerial refueling, also... USAF redirects here. ...

In 1988, in the wake of the Challenger accident, NASA procured a surplus 747-100SR N911NA from Japan Airlines. Registered N911NA it entered service with NASA in 1990 after similar modifications to N905NA. It was first used in 1991 to ferry the new shuttle Endeavour from the manufacturers in Palmdale, California to Kennedy Space Center. Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... For further information about Challengers mission and crew, see STS-51-L. The iconic image of Space Shuttle Challengers smoke plume after its breakup 73 seconds after launch. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105), is the fifth and final operational NASA space shuttle. ... City nickname:Aerospace Capital of America County Los Angeles County, California Area  - Total  - Water 272. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ...

The two aircraft are functionally identical, although N911NA has five upper-deck windows on each side, while N905NA only has two. N905NA is depicted in both the photograph and the diagram on this page.

One Shuttle Carrier currently resides at the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California (likely N911NA). The other Shuttle Carrier is located at Pinal Airpark in Arizona (KMZJ) (likely N905NA). On N905NA the rear mounting point is labeled with a tongue-in-cheek instruction to "Attach Orbiter Here" — clarified by the precautionary warning "Black Side Down".^[3] Dryden Flight Research Centers fleet of aircraft in 1993. ... Edwards Air Force Base (IATA: EDW, ICAO: KEDW) is a United States Air Force airbase located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley, 7 miles (11 km) due east of Rosamond. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Pinal Airpark (IATA: MZJ, ICAO: KMZJ) is an airport located in Pinal County, seven miles (11 km) northwest of the central business district (CBD) of Marana, a city in Pima County, Arizona, USA. Its main purpose is to act as a boneyard for aircraft. ... Official language(s) English Spoken language(s) English 74. ... Sarcasm is the making of remarks intended to mock the person referred to (who is normally the person addressed), a situation or thing. ...

Orbiter Mount note reminding technicians how to connect the orbiter to the transport.

Popular culture

In the pre-credit sequence of the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker, a Space Shuttle is launched off the top of a 747-100 in mid-flight, causing the 747 to explode (not possible with real shuttle as the fuel for its main engines is only carried in its external tank). There was a Lego set produced with a large four-engine aircraft that would carry a space shuttle on it.^[4] This article is about the spy series. ... Moonraker is a 1979 spy film. ... For other uses, see Lego (disambiguation). ...

See also

• Captive carry
• Antonov An-225
• Myasishchev VM-T
• NASA Shuttle Landing Facility

SpaceShipOne is carried beneath White Knight during a captive carry flight to test SpaceShipOnes aerodynamic and avionic performance. ... The An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian: , NATO reporting name: Cossack) is a strategic airlift transport aircraft which was built by Antonov, and is the worlds largest flying airplane ever built by the most commonly accepted measure,[1] maximum gross takeoff weight. ... VM-T at the Zhukovski Air Show 2005, with rocket booster The Myasishchev VM-T (NATO reporting name: Atlant) is a variant of the Myasishchev M-4 bomber designed as a strategic airlift airplane. ... The NASA Shuttle Landing Facility (IATA: TTS, ICAO: KTTS) is an airport located in the city of Titusville in Brevard County, Florida, USA. It is a part of the John F. Kennedy Space Center and is used by the NASA Space Shuttle, military aircraft and civilian aircraft. ...

References

1. ^ NASA - Dryden Flight Research Center (1977). Shuttle Enterprise Free Flight. NASA. Retrieved on November 28, 2007.
2. ^ Felix Gilette (9 August 2005). How Does the Space Shuttle Fly Home?. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
3. ^ 2003 Edwards Air Force Base Air Show, see Shuttle Carrier images.
4. ^ Brickset.com: 6544 Shuttle Transcon 2.

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bibliography

• Space Shuttle: History of the National Space Transportation System - The First 100 Missions. Jenkins, Dennis R. Midland Publishing, 2003. [Third edition]

Media

Aft end of the interior. Note the large stuffed spider mounted on the aft pressure bulkhead.	SCA approaching Space Shuttle Endeavour suspended in the Mate-Demate Device (MDD), April, 1994 SCA approach. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ...	SCA mating with Space Shuttle Endeavour in the Mate-Demate Device (MDD), April, 1994 SCA mate. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ...	SCA ferry flights, 1992 SCA takeoff and landing. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...
Takeoff of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and on its back the Space Shuttle Enterprise An F/A-18 Hornet takes off from the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). ... The Space Shuttle Enterprise (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-101) was the first Space Shuttle built for NASA. It was constructed without engines or a functional heat shield, and was therefore not capable of space operations; its purpose was to perform test flights in the atmosphere. ...	Atlantis transported by a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Download high resolution version (3030x2360, 4888 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...	Atlantis atop a Shuttle Carrier.	Atlantis being mated to the SCA at Dryden Flight Research Center.
One of the SCA's at its Dryden Flight Research Center home, with a very wet Rogers Dry Lake behind it. Dryden Flight Research Centers fleet of aircraft in 1993. ... Edwards Air Force Base (IATA: EDW, ICAO: KEDW) is a USAF airbase located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County, California in the Antelope Valley, 7 miles (11 km) due East of Rosamond, USA at . ...	SCA 3 view Schematic

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

• NASA fact sheet
• NASA SCA images
• Interview with SCA Pilot and Former Astronaut Gordon Fullerton
• Interview with SCA Crew Chief Pete Seidl