Note: Only forum leaders may delete posts.
*HTML is ON *UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend
Smilies Legend
[b]Space Shuttle Atlantis Ferry Flight To Begin Early Monday[/b] Post-mission servicing of the Space Shuttle Atlantis and preparations for its ferry flight are nearing completion at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, and shuttle managers expect preparations to be complete by Sunday evening. If that schedule can be maintained, the ferry flight itself would depart Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California shortly before sunrise Monday morning, June 1. During a Flight Readiness Review Saturday afternoon at Dryden, ferry flight managers reviewed servicing and preparation work already completed, and found no constraints to a Monday morning departure from Edwards. The cross-country flight of Atlantis mounted atop one of NASA's two modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will be at fairly low altitudes – about 10,000 to 16,000 feet – and will involve several intermediate stops for fuel and at least one overnight stop en route. An unexpected thunderstorm with high winds slowed operations Friday afternoon, but work resumed Friday evening. Installation of the aerodynamic tail cone over Atlantis rocket engine nozzles was completed at mid-day Saturday, and raising of the landing gear and other closeout work was under way late Saturday. The lift onto the modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft was scheduled to begin late Saturday or overnight Sunday. Atlantis' cross-country ferry flight will be accompanied by a NASA C-9 pathfinder aircraft, which will fly about 100 miles ahead of the piggyback combo to assist the flight crew in avoiding any precipitation that could damage the shuttle's thermal protection blankets.
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.