Return to Flight: Return to KSC Delayed

[bigOleB]

Return to Flight: Discovery riding Piggy Back Live!!! UPDATE

UPDATED 8/18/2005 9:00 PM from NASA Website

At NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California, final preparations are underway for Discovery's return to Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The orbiter will be attached to one of NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for the cross-country ferry flight, currently scheduled to depart in the morning Friday, Aug. 19. The pair could arrive in Florida as early as Saturday afternoon

Friday August 19th 2005
9 a.m. - Space Shuttle Discovery Departure - DFRC (Mission Coverage)

NASA TV / Echo 7=119W / TP=12297-L / SR=20000 / VPID=5922 APID=5923



Space Shuttle Status Report - Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Difficulties with alignment of the aerodynamic tailcone with the aft end of the Space Shuttle Discovery have forced a further postponement of the departure of Discovery on its ferry flight from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

As of Wednesday morning, the Discovery will depart Edwards Air Force Base on the first leg of its ferry flight atop a modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) no earlier than early Friday morning. A possible option to depart Thursday afternoon has now been ruled out, due to temperature and preparation schedule issues

It is supposed to be covered by NASA TV, most likely just takeoff and landing. If you have never seen a space shuttle riding piggy back, tune in, it is amazing!

 

[Tron]

Back in the 1980, I saw the shuttle Enterprise piggybacked aboard a 747 as it flew over my junior high school!

Very weird looking indeed...

 

[bigOleB]

I have seen it once in person and a couple times on tv. It is amazing to see that much metal leave the ground.

 

[dfergie]

Too bad I'm working tommarow occasionally they land and refuel in El Paso... would be worth it to go over there and watch/

 

[voomvoom]

A couple of times, they had to land at Robins Air Force Base for a few hours, due to weather conditions. Robins is in middle Georgia, that's about 20 miles south of me. I got a chance to see it from the road once, but not in flight. Both times it was the "Big Story" in the local news. Also the flight path of the shuttle landing in Florida usually brings it over us. It takes it about 4-6 minutes to land from here (in middle Georgia) and gives off a heck of a sonic boom. "Now that's hauling *ss". It's low enough to see it as it zooms bye.

Al

 

[bigOleB]

The piggy back ride is going fast enough to cause a sonic boom?That is hard to believe, that must be exiciting?

 

[voomvoom]

I wasn't talking about the piggyback ride on that part. I was talking about a regular landing from space.

Al

 

[bigOleB]

That makes a bunch more sense!

I have viewed the shuttle in space a couple times with telescope but never seen a landing. Can anyone say road trip?

 

[bigOleB]

UPDATED THREAD 8/18/2005 9:00PM EST



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