Why does the space shuttle piggyback on a 747?

Answer: NASA and Boeing have some very smart aeronautical engineers. They calculated that the shuttle could ride safely and securely. They had attachment points built into the 747 to handle the weight and movement of the shuttle. There are extra vertical fins on the tail to help stabilize it in flight.

Where is the 747 that carried the space shuttle?

the Kennedy Space Center
One is a 747–100 model, while the other is a short range 747-100SR. The SCAs were used to ferry Space Shuttles from landing sites back to the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center….

How short of a runway can a 747 land on?

The FAA/EASA Minimum runway length requirements for MLW landings are 7,500ft (~2,300m) for the 747-8F, and 6,750ft (~2,000m) for the 747-8i. A Boeing 747-8 landing with 85% of its payload and 30% of its fuel, weighs 92% (8F) or 98% (8i) of its Maximum Landing Weight (MLW).

Can a space shuttle land on an aircraft carrier?

In a move sure to delight aerospace fans everywhere, it has been announced that one of NASA’s retired space shuttles will make a landing in the harbour of New York City next year – onto the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Why does NASA have a 747?

The primary purpose of this NASA 747 is for astronomy, more particularly, to capture infrared images of the solar system. Flying at an altitude between 38,000 and 45,000 feet on the 747 allows the telescope to operate above 99% of the earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere.

How many 747 does NASA have?

NASA has two modified Boeing 747 jetliners, originally manufactured for commercial use, that are used as Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. One is a 747-100 model, while the other is designated a 747-100SR (short range).

Can a 747 fly into space?

The bottom line is that airplanes can’t fly in space because there is no air in space. Airplanes rely on air to produce both lift and propulsion. Since there isn’t any air in space, airplanes must stay within the Earth’s atmosphere.

What was the name of the Space Shuttle Piggyback plane?

Someone has wisely decided to put one in a museum. On Saturday, Space Center Houston in Texas unveils an exhibit featuring one of two powerful Boeing 747s that NASA used to piggyback space shuttles thousands of miles across the country for decades. They called this particular plane NASA 905.

Where is the 747 that carried the Shuttle Discovery?

The 905 carried space shuttles 223 times. Discovery flies into the sunrise above Kennedy Space Center on its final flight. NASA’s only other Shuttle Carrier Aircraft — a 747-100SR-46 called NASA 911 — is on display at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark in Palmdale, California.

How did the Boeing 747 get around the world?

Two of those 747s found themselves piggybacking NASA’s space shuttles around North America. While it wasn’t unknown for the space shuttles to be transported short distances by road, these two 747s did much of the long-distance heavy lifting.

Why does NASA have two 747 jetliners?

Image credit: NASA/KSC NASA keeps two 747s, known as the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), set up this way on purpose. The downstairs passenger area of these jetliners are kept as hollow inside as possible in order to carry a special cargo: a Space Shuttle orbiter.