great video on fox news right now... shuttle on 747 piggyback

 

Space Shuttle being ferried to the Smithsonian on the back of the 747 with what looks like a T-38 shadowing it doing low passes over DC...

I have seen pics but have never seen the shuttle actually flying on the back of the Jumbo, pretty damn cool!

 

Watch it live on the website or Nasa tv

http://www.foxnews.com/

Was amazing to watch and man was that pilot working the heck out of the rudder on touchdown. Great skills.

15kt crosswind with 200,000 lbs on the roof made for a lot of rudder!!!

 

They said they are doing fly-by's of NYC and the Statue of Liberty with Enterprise on Monday, I see you are in NJ, I am definitely going!

-P

Yeah, I may just hop on a Amtrak Regional out of 30th St, or drive up to Trenton and take NJT into New York.. Definitely want to see it as it's one of those things if you don't see it now, chances are you'll never have the chance to see it again.

Yeah, I may just hop on a Amtrak Regional out of 30th St, or drive up to Trenton and take NJT into New York.. Definitely want to see it as it's one of those things if you don't see it now, chances are you'll never have the chance to see it again.

Take the train to Newark and watch from the tip of Jersey City by the Goldman Sachs building and the NY Waterway Ferry. That could be best view of all and you can get the NYC skyline in any pics! That is where I will be unless I find out NY Waterway or the SI ferry are doing anything special for the fly-bys... How cool to watch it from the water!

Hmm.. I'm going to have to look into viewing points you make a valid point..

 

Man.. Most people just want to add "Flew something with wings" to their resumes.. Can you imagine being the crew of that flight and adding "Buzzed the Washington Monument with a Space Shuttle on the roof" to their resume?

Back in the early days of the Shuttle, NASA was taking Enterprise up to Canada for a publicity display. Then NYC Mayor Dinkins, had arranged a flyby up the Hudson River which nobody (not even the Press if you could believe it) knew about. I was on my way to work Metro-North when I saw it out the window, and I yelled on the train, look it's the Space Shuttle! Evidently no one else on the train saw it, Half of the people looked at me like I had 2 heads, and some changed cars. Even when I told the people I worked with, they thought I was hallucinating until they heard it announced on the news!!

 

That said, I don't think Discovery should have went to the Smithsonian, as they already have Enterprise. I think it should have gone to Houston. (Or barring that, swap Enterprise) Why NYC is getting Enterprise is beyond me. Except for the above flyby, they had no involvement in the Shuttle program. If they got anything it should have been the full size mockup currently at KSC Visitor Center. I also would rather see Endeavor displayed at Edwards,rather then LA itself.

I'm just glad they are all going to get the proper retirements they deserve in well maintained and climate controlled buildings.. Much better than the fate Buran met.

Here is a video on NASA's youtube channel

 

 

Cheers

I didn't hear the ATC communication when I saw this on TV. Didn't realize the T-38 was fuel critical and needed to get down ASAP.

Here are a bunch of fantastic pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/sets/72157629597587869/

I didn't hear the ATC communication when I saw this on TV. Didn't realize the T-38 was fuel critical and needed to get down ASAP.

 

I'm a little surprised, they didn't bring the T-38 down first, under those circumstances.

I really like how worn in the shuttle looks compared to the white 747.

I really like how worn in the shuttle looks compared to the white 747.

 

The Shuttle must have be painted by McPhat.. :-)

Well I am not sure if it will be put on display like that or they well do a restoration. I guess this is how it will be displayed.

 

I think it is best to keep it as is because it looks like it has been in space. It is wearing it's history as a workhorse when you can see it worn like that.

 

Cheers