When the time came to take #NASA’s Space #Shuttle #Discovery to the Smithsonian near Washington, the Shuttle Carrier #Aircraft was employed, as it usually was when the #SpaceShuttle needed to move.
This required the #Orbiter to be moved inside a truss-work structured called the Mate-Demate #Device, lifted up by cranes, and the #Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Airfcraft moved underneath for the Shuttle to be secured for transport.
An aerodynamic tail cone makes the #SCA easier to control.
The #MDD is next to the Shuttle Landing Facility.
#SpaceShuttleOrbiter, #SpaceShuttleDiscovery, #MateDemateDevice, #MDD, #ShuttleCarierAircraft, #Boeing747, #SCA, #ShuttleLandingFacility, #SLF, #Aviation, #AviationPhotography, #Spacecraft, #Photograph, #Photography, #Photo
https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/discovery-mounted-on-the-shuttle-carrier-aircraft-heron-and-fox.html
#nasa #shuttle #discovery #aircraft #spaceshuttle #orbiter #device #boeing #sca #mdd #spaceshuttleorbiter #spaceshuttlediscovery #matedematedevice #shuttlecarieraircraft #boeing747 #shuttlelandingfacility #slf #aviation #aviationphotography #spacecraft #photograph #photography #photo
At the end of :nasa: #NASA’s #SpaceShuttle program, the #Orbiters were given to museums for display to the public. #Discovery went to the #Smithsonian, #Atlantis remained in #Florida the #KSCVC / #VisitorsComplex at the privately-funded #AtlantisMuseuem.
#Endeavour was given to the #CaliforniaScienceCenter, which planned to display the orbiter as if ready for launch, attached to a spare #ExternalTank and replica #SRBs.
Here, Endeavour is in the #MateDemateDevice / #MDD. The MDD lifts the Orbiter up so that the #ShuttleCarrierAircraft, a #Boeing 747, can have the Shuttle mounted on its back to fly elsewhere, or be removed from the #SCA after being returned to #KSC after landing elsewhere.
The carrier aircraft is visible just under and behind Endeavour.
https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/endeavour-in-the-mate-demate-device-heron-and-fox.html
#nasa #spaceshuttle #orbiters #discovery #smithsonian #atlantis #florida #kscvc #visitorscomplex #atlantismuseuem #endeavour #californiasciencecenter #externaltank #srbs #matedematedevice #mdd #shuttlecarrieraircraft #boeing #sca #ksc