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The Space Shuttle Landed at my House...
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greenG4
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:06 AM
 
Well almost. Across the street anyway.

http://greensmusic.net/photos/shuttle1.jpg

This was taken from the park by the house.

http://greensmusic.net/photos/shuttle2.jpg

This was taken after driving down the street. They let us get closer after this, but but was too dark for photos. I'm going to try to get a video of it as it takes off tomorrow.
( Last edited by Demonhood; Jul 2, 2007 at 01:04 PM. Reason: images too big)
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Kerrigan
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:09 AM
 
Very cool. The space shuttle itself looks like an old piece of junk, though. Like some old ride at Disney.
     
cjrivera
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:18 AM
 
Cool pics.
I remember putting together a model of that setup (Enterprise shuttle on a 747) when I was a kid.

(Wow, my nerd coeffeicient just tripled in 1 sentence...
1) I assembled plastic models. 2) ... of the space shuttle, nonetheless. 3) I'm old enough to remember the space shuttle "Enterprise".)
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greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:18 AM
 
Isn't there supposed to be an auto-resize feature in these forums??? Sorry for the monstrosity...
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greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kerrigan View Post
Very cool. The space shuttle itself looks like an old piece of junk, though. Like some old ride at Disney.
I think it's still a bit banged up and burned from re-entry...
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mduell
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:25 AM
 
FlightAware > Live Flight Tracker > NASA905 - flight path for the SCA this time
     
Kerrigan
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:32 AM
 
Originally Posted by greenG4 View Post
Isn't there supposed to be an auto-resize feature in these forums??? Sorry for the monstrosity...
The forums went down a while back and the auto-resize feature has been broken since then. There's a thread about it in the feedback forum, if you want to know more about it.
     
greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kerrigan View Post
The forums went down a while back and the auto-resize feature has been broken since then. There's a thread about it in the feedback forum, if you want to know more about it.
Ah. Okay. I made them smaller now.
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Gator Lager
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by Kerrigan View Post
Very cool. The space shuttle itself looks like an old piece of junk, though. Like some old ride at Disney.
Watch it there junior
I work on the Shuttle. Yes they get a wee bit charred during re-entry. But the T.P.S. (thermal protection system) folk will replace or repair any discrepancies. She is fully functional, fully operational.
Well she will be once she gets back to K.S.C.
And being compared to a rat (mickey mouse) ride fires me up. I hate the rat.
     
Gator Lager
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Jul 2, 2007, 12:54 AM
 
Originally Posted by greenG4 View Post
Well almost. Across the street anyway.
This was taken after driving down the street. They let us get closer after this, but but was too dark for photos. I'm going to try to get a video of it as it takes off tomorrow.
glad you have the opportunity to see her.
     
greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 01:06 AM
 
Originally Posted by Gator Lager View Post
glad you have the opportunity to see her.
So am I! It's a really neat experience to see it so close. The only thing better will be to see it take off, but I don't know if they will announce the time of the takeoff in advance or not. I'm hoping so. I got to wondering...maybe you can answer...how do they get it on the 747? I've been googling and can't find the answer.
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Gator Lager
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Jul 2, 2007, 01:15 AM
 
Originally Posted by greenG4 View Post
So am I! It's a really neat experience to see it so close. The only thing better will be to see it take off, but I don't know if they will announce the time of the takeoff in advance or not. I'm hoping so. I got to wondering...maybe you can answer...how do they get it on the 747? I've been googling and can't find the answer.
M.D.D. (mate demate device). here is some pics/link
http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/STS-MDD/
go here for most questions.
http://search.nasa.gov/home/index.html
and spaceflight.com is another good one.
     
DakarÊ’
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Jul 2, 2007, 08:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by greenG4 View Post
Well almost. Across the street anyway.
False advertising!!!11
     
Gator Lager
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Jul 2, 2007, 08:38 AM
 
[QUOTE=greenG4;3419603]So am I! It's a really neat experience to see it so close. The only thing better will be to see it take off, but I don't know if they will announce the time of the takeoff in advance or not.

they should be near take off time now, if it hasn't already done so. really neat watching them fly.

I got to go inside the one of the S.C.A. (shuttle carrier aircraft) a long time ago. They used to have two flight crews on board. That's N.A.S.A., big on redundancy. As you can imagine it's stripped out inside. No need for all that seating. Beefed up structurally to support Shuttle setting on top. Oh it of course it had a killer bar. One flight crew flying and one flight crew soaring.
( Last edited by Gator Lager; Jul 2, 2007 at 09:00 AM. )
     
ghporter
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Jul 2, 2007, 08:55 AM
 
That is a familiar looking flightline. Where is it, if I may ask? Offutt AFB?

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moonmonkey
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Jul 2, 2007, 08:58 AM
 
I think its pretty cool its powerful enough to carry that jumbo jet, it must weigh tons!
     
Gator Lager
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Jul 2, 2007, 09:04 AM
 
Originally Posted by moonmonkey View Post
I think its pretty cool its powerful enough to carry that jumbo jet, it must weigh tons!
ha good one.
that would make a good photoshop picture.
     
richwig83
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Jul 2, 2007, 09:21 AM
 
Originally Posted by cjrivera View Post
Cool pics.
I remember putting together a model of that setup (Enterprise shuttle on a 747) when I was a kid.

(Wow, my nerd coeffeicient just tripled in 1 sentence...
1) I assembled plastic models. 2) ... of the space shuttle, nonetheless. 3) I'm old enough to remember the space shuttle "Enterprise".)
Don't worry you were not the only one!!!
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greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 09:38 AM
 
AHHHHHHH!!!! I missed it....
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greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 09:44 AM
 
Originally Posted by ghporter View Post
That is a familiar looking flightline. Where is it, if I may ask? Offutt AFB?
Yep. It's Offutt.
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badidea
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Jul 2, 2007, 11:23 AM
 
Originally Posted by richwig83 View Post
Don't worry you were not the only one!!!

I also remember seeing it in Florida 29 years ago!!
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TheoCryst
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Jul 2, 2007, 11:53 AM
 
Originally Posted by badidea View Post

I also remember seeing it in Florida 29 years ago!!
Congrats! You are now old and a nerd!

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d4nth3m4n
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Jul 2, 2007, 01:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by badidea View Post

I also remember seeing it in Florida 29 years ago!!
wasn't enterprise one of the later shuttles? IIRC the first to use a drag parachute while landing?

yeah, i was a shuttle nerd too. tough not to be when i grew up. (i'm 27)

edit: i was wrong. confused enterprise with endeavour.
     
TheoCryst
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Jul 2, 2007, 04:16 PM
 
Enterprise was the first shuttle built, and completely unmanned. It had no functioning engines or heatshield, so it never flew in space. If I'm not mistaken, it's currently sitting in a museum somewhere.

EDIT: Yep, it's in a hanger in the Smithsonian's Air and Space museum.

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Atheist
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Jul 2, 2007, 08:25 PM
 
Originally Posted by Gator Lager View Post
glad you have the opportunity to see her.
How do you tell a male shuttle from a female? You lift up the landing gear and look inside?
     
greenG4  (op)
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Jul 2, 2007, 09:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by Atheist View Post
How do you tell a male shuttle from a female? You lift up the landing gear and look inside?
All machines are female. Additionally, all cats are female and all dogs are male.
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ghporter
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Jul 2, 2007, 09:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by TheoCryst View Post
Enterprise was the first shuttle built, and completely unmanned. It had no functioning engines or heatshield, so it never flew in space. If I'm not mistaken, it's currently sitting in a museum somewhere.

EDIT: Yep, it's in a hanger in the Smithsonian's Air and Space museum.
The shuttle Enterprise was named after (you all knew this was coming) the starship Enterprise. In the opening vignettes in the series Enterprise when you see the shuttle being rolled out, a number of cast members are in the foreground. Gene Roddenberry is the one with the hat.

As noted above, it had no engines, nor working heatshield. But it was the first shuttle to fly. They used it for two types of tests: five unmanned captive flight tests atop the transport vehicle (the 747) and three manned captive tests, followed by five manned free flight tests to check glide characteristics. The first three free flights were with the same aerodynamic covers over the aft section as used in piggy back flights, and the last two were without them. Authoritative reference here.

I saw the first flights on television-some months after Star Wars was released. I don't feel old because of this-I feel priveleged.

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macroy
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Jul 3, 2007, 07:29 AM
 
Originally Posted by TheoCryst View Post
Enterprise was the first shuttle built, and completely unmanned. It had no functioning engines or heatshield, so it never flew in space. If I'm not mistaken, it's currently sitting in a museum somewhere.

EDIT: Yep, it's in a hanger in the Smithsonian's Air and Space museum.
Udvar-Hazy complex just adjacent to Dulles International in Northern Virginia. The Enola Gay is there as well as a few other famous aircrafts. While the Enterprise is now a museum relic, they still take pieces of it for the operating shuttles (so I was told by the tour guides). You'll notice parts missing from it if you go and check it out.
.
     
Gator Lager
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Jul 3, 2007, 08:32 AM
 
She's back.
At KSC that is. If you have the NASA channel, turn it on.
     
Kevin
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Jul 4, 2007, 11:18 AM
 
I remember having a plastic Shuttle toy back in 1978.

Built models, had toys when I was younger. Really impressed with it. We'd watch lift offs in the school library.
     
ghporter
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Jul 4, 2007, 11:36 AM
 
Originally Posted by macroy View Post
While the Enterprise is now a museum relic, they still take pieces of it for the operating shuttles (so I was told by the tour guides). You'll notice parts missing from it if you go and check it out.
That is almost always to get a prototype part for reproduction. The flight-qualification process is rather involved, and a part that was made 30 years ago is probably not going to pass, but getting all the dimensions and such for making new parts is no problem. Remember, the shuttle was built originally by a company that no longer exists, the tooling was not all purchased by the government so it doesn't all exist anymore, and not all of the original tech data still exists either. How else will you get parts?

The Air Force often robs parts from mothballed aircraft at the Davis-Monthan "Bone Yard" because of the same issue. A few years back they built a B-52 aircrew trainer by cutting off the cockpit/crew space end of a real airplane...it was guaranteed authentic!

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