At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft with space shuttle Discovery secured to its back is parked on the tarmac awaiting departure from Kennedy tomorrow morning. The aircraft, also known as an SCA, is a Boeing 747 jet, originally manufactured for commercial use, which was modified by NASA to transport the shuttles between destinations on Earth. The SCA designated NASA 905 is assigned to the remaining ferry missions, delivering the shuttles to their permanent public display sites. NASA 905 is scheduled to ferry Discovery to the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17, after which the shuttle will be placed on display in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. For more information on the SCA, visit www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-013-DFRC.html. For more information on shuttle transition and retirement activities, visit www.nasa.gov/transition. Photo credit: (NASA/Tim Jacobs)
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Spillone 13 months ago | reply
Bye bye Discovery, hope to meet you soon ;-(
Mike Wood Photography 13 months ago | reply
classic wide angle shot. one last time.
Disnoid Steve 13 months ago | reply
No wonder aliens haven't visited yet. They take one look at this thing and decide to come back after we're done with mating season!