Shuttle Discovery takes final flight on jumbo. KIAD feed tops 1,667 listeners

[kyle172]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47070577/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/space-shuttle-discovery-takes-final-flight-jumbo-jet/

[tyketto]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47070577/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/space-shuttle-discovery-takes-final-flight-jumbo-jet/

KLGA and KLAX are going to be nuts later this year, when Enterprise and Endeavour make their trips, with Enterprise being the next up.

BL.

[kdrive23]

I listened to the IAD ATC while watching live news broadcasts, which was really nifty.  

I wonder if anyone has a recording of DCA ATC?  I was out on the Memorial Bridge and since I don't have a smartypants phone, I wasn't able to listen to DCA's feed as it flew over downtown (got back to the office in time to listen to IAD).

Just figured out I can listen to the archives 

[tyketto]

gotta correct myself here. Enterprise will be flying into JFK on Monday, so expect that superfeed to be hit.

The question I now have is for Endeavour. That's on the east coast, and I doubt, unless they plan on burning that much fuel, that they'll make that trip to LAX nonstop. We know the LAX feed will be covered, but what are the odds that Endeavour will stop somewhere else overnight?

BL.

[Sirius]

I was out taking picture of the arrival to IAD.  Was listening to the feed so I could track the aircraft.

gotta correct myself here. Enterprise will be flying into JFK on Monday, so expect that superfeed to be hit.

The question I now have is for Endeavour. That's on the east coast, and I doubt, unless they plan on burning that much fuel, that they'll make that trip to LAX nonstop. We know the LAX feed will be covered, but what are the odds that Endeavour will stop somewhere else overnight?

BL.

Normally, the 747-100 has a 5,500 nautical mile range, cruses in the 30,000's and has a .84 mach cruise speed.  According to wiki: while the shuttle is on it's back, those numbers change to a max 1,500 nm range, max cruise alt of 15,000 ft and a cruse of .60 mach.  So, they would be making stops cross country for fuel.  Trying to find an accurate source to verify those numbers.

[jmx53]

Schedule info for Enterprise ferry flight as released by NASA:
NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with space shuttle Enterprise mounted atop  is scheduled to arrive between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. EDT  on Monday, April 23.   If all goes as planned, the aircraft is expected to fly at a relatively low altitude near a variety of landmarks in the metropolitan area, including the Statue of Liberty and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. When the flyover is complete, the SCA will land at John F. Kennedy International Airport.  It will stay at JFK for 2 months then be transported by barge to the USS Intrepid and placed in a temporary shelter on the deck of the ship until a permanent display building for it is constructed across the street.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/apr/M12-071_SCA_Enterprise_NYC_Flyover.html
http://collectspace.com/news/news-030112a.html



Official NASA Performance information for Shuttle Carrier Aircraft:
Airspeed limits with, and without an orbiter: 250 knots or Mach 0.6
Altitude: Typical cruise with orbiter, 13,000-15,000 ft; typical cruise unmated, 24,000-26,000 ft. Minimum temperature at altitude 15 degrees (F) (-9 degrees C)
Range: Typical mated, 1000 nautical miles (with reserves); maximum unmated, 5500 nautical miles.
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-013-DFRC.html

So the ferry flight for Shuttle Endeavour to LAX will probably be similar to this description of transporting Shuttle Discovery from Edwards AFB to Kennedy Space Center in 2005 said: "The cross-country ferry flight to return Discovery to Florida after it's landing in California will take two days, with stops at several intermediate points for refueling."  
The ferry flight will be in September 2012.
Endeavour will temporarily be displayed horizontal as if it just landed, but future plans are to display this in the vertical with solid rocket boosters and an external tank. "It is going to be an incredible exhibit if that all comes to fruition," said STS-134 commander Mark Kelly."  
http://collectspace.com/news/news-101411a.html


More info about all of the retired shuttles:  http://collectspace.com/shuttles/

Info about the Shuttle trainer to be displayed at Museum of Flight in Seattle:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018003693_shuttle18m.html

[iskyfly]

Endeavour's target departure date from KSC is mid September.

Weather and weight, among other things, are factors that are taken in to consideration for ferry flights. The orbiters are considerably lighter since T&R servicing.

As with the DC flight, exact routing and planned stops will be held close to the vest for security reasons.

[NoMad]

It was an amazing sight to see.  We were all up on the roof of the building in DC watching.  They buzzed downtown DC three times.  So awesome.  Photos from the roof...

Pluto 95, party of two!



Buzzing DCA



Buzzing the US Capital



Over the Lincoln Memorial



Over the Washington Monument



Behind the monument and US Post Office bell tower

[cptbrw]

Video of flyby and landing at IAD with ATC comms.

[StuSEL]

What an awesome tribute to such a successful program. The interest has me thinking that we'll (hopefully) be back at it again someday.

[iskyfly]

The program was awe inspiring. The orbiter had to be probably the best flying machine in the world. I wished it kept flying. However, most would say that the program was a failure because it did not live up to its intended design. The loss of two vehicles and her crew didn't help also.

[Sirius]

Here are a few of my shots of the final approach into 1R at Dulles.  My location put me about 100 - 150 to the right of the center line and about 1/2 mile ahead of the threshold of the runway.

[kdrive23]

I got it over the Netherlands Carillon, Custiss Lee Mansion and the Air Force Memorial (from the Arlington Memorial Bridge)

[joeyb747]

AWESOME PHOTOS GUYS!!! 

Thanks for sharing!!

[NoMad]

Two other things I noticed from rooftop...

1) The entire city was up on the roofs staring into the sky taking pictures.  It was like Independence Day without the alien invasion.

2) Traffic was a dead stop everywhere.  People just stopped on the highway in the middle of the road to watch.

2a) I'm sure there were some PISSED OFF travelers at DCA who were stuck in a 45 minute ground stop waiting for this spectacle to conclude.

[jmx53]

Nice photos guys.  Must have been an impressive experience to see it in person!  Thanks for sharing your pics!

I saw one pic on one of the news stations...The photographer snapped it at just the right angle and instant so that it looked like a weather vane perched on the tip of the Washington Monument.  Haven't been able to find it online yet, but it was a great photo.

There are also a lot of excellent high quality large downloadable photos on NASA's Flickr site:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/  Some nice ones  taken from the T-38 chase planes.

[Sirius]

I'll just leave this here.  Visited the museum when they had Enterprise and Discovery outside nose to nose.  Quite a treat. 

[notaperfectpilot]

I was real close to having "front row seats" (whatever that means  ) to watch this thing land....wish that I could have been there but I couldn't thanks for the great picture, guys!

[iskyfly]

Managers Defer Ferry Flight Decision until Monday

04.22.12 WASHINGTON --Space Shuttle Program Transition and Retirement managers met Sunday afternoon to again evaluate the weather forecast for Space Shuttle Enterprise's Ferry Flight to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The group, in conjunction with Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum officials, deferred setting a date for the Ferry Flight until Monday.

Managers will convene at 1 p.m. for the OV-101 Ferry Flight Readiness Review and again will evaluate the weather and system readiness to support the Ferry Flight. They are expected to formally set the date at the conclusion of the meeting.

The latest forecast indicates a low pressure system on the east coast will deliver low clouds and rain in both the Washington and New York areas, precluding the flight of NASA’s prototype shuttle until Wednesday at the earliest. Enterprise was mated to the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) Saturday morning and covers were fitted over the shuttle's vent doors to prevent rain intrusion while the vehicle awaits its transfer from Dulles International Airport. The covers will be removed before flight.

Once the departure date and time is set, media will have access to the public areas at Dulles to view the departure of Enterprise. Media sending crews to Dulles should contact the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Office of Public Affairs at 703-417-8370.

After departing Washington, the SCA and Enterprise the aircraft are expected to fly near a variety of landmarks in the New York metropolitan area, including the Statue of Liberty and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. When the flyover is complete, the SCA will land at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Several weeks following the arrival, Enterprise will be "demated" from the 747 and placed on a barge that will be moved by tugboat up the Hudson River to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in June. The shuttle will be lifted by crane and placed on the flight deck of the Intrepid where it will be on exhibit to the public starting this summer in a temporary climate-controlled pavilion. The Intrepid continues work on a permanent exhibit facility to showcase Enterprise that will enhance the museum's space-related exhibits and education curriculum.


For more information about NASA's transfer of space shuttles to museums, visit:


 

http://www.nasa.gov/transition

[jmx53]

Update  04.24.12: Managers Tentatively Target Friday, April 27 for Enterprise Ferry Flight

 
 WASHINGTON -- NASA managers, in coordination with Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum officials, tentatively are targeting Friday, April 27,
 for the ferry of space shuttle Enterprise from Washington Dulles International Airport to John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York.

 Managers shifted the flight from Wednesday to Friday because of a large region of low pressure dominating the East Coast. The weather is predicted
 to be more favorable Friday.

 NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with Enterprise mounted atop will fly at a relatively low altitude over various parts of the New York City
metropolitan area on Friday. The aircraft is expected to fly near a variety of landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and Intrepid. After the flyover
is complete, the SCA will land at JFK.

 The Federal Aviation Administration is coordinating the flight, which is scheduled to occur between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. EDT, weather permitting.
The exact route and timing depend on weather and operational constraints.

 Several weeks following the arrival, Enterprise will be "demated" from the 747 and placed on a barge that will be moved by tugboat up the Hudson River
to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in June. The shuttle will be lifted by crane and placed on the flight deck of the Intrepid where it will be on
exhibit to the public starting this summer in a temporary climate-controlled pavilion. The Intrepid continues work on a permanent exhibit facility to
showcase Enterprise that will enhance the museum's space-related exhibits and education curriculum.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/transition/home/enterprise_flight_postponed.html

[NoMad]

Hopefully I'm not the only loser nerd who had this immediately come to mind without thinking about it for even a fraction of a second.



Lets make sure that history never forgets the name ENTERPRISE.

[RonR]

One of my favorite episodes 

[alphazulu]

Some updated information for The Enterprise Space Shuttle/747 in N.Y.C. and viewing locations;

http://www.nycaviation.com/where-to-watch-space-shuttle-enterprise-in-new-york/

[Sirius]

One of my favorite episodes 

Rofl!  Nice one!

[RonR]

Hi everyone,

Today is supposed to be the day when the Enterprise shuttle makes its way to NYC.  According to NASA's website (I can't get on to NYCaviation.com...), the flight is a "Go" so far for some time between 9:30 and 11:30 ET.  For anyone that's interested, I will try to catch the flight on my feed as it makes its way to NYC and then hopefully do my best to follow the flight as it performs its flyover of the NYC metro area.  I just have to get a little bit lucky and find the right frequency...