
NASA just released this amazing bird’s eye view.
I took some close up photos of Endeavour on the pad and launching. This closes the loop.

NASA just released this amazing bird’s eye view.
I took some close up photos of Endeavour on the pad and launching. This closes the loop.
Here is more. FYI.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/12/round_trip_with_endeavo...
Awesome photo. Interesting to see the aerodynamic fairing they place on the tail of the orbiter. I wonder how this changes the flight characteristics of the 747?
Was this photo taken from a fighter escort or satellite?
I am curious, on a piggy-back ride like this, do they have crew on the Orbiter’s flight deck in case for some reason the shuttle has to separate from the Boeing – and then to perform an emergency landing?
Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Space Shuttle Fleet , and we’d love to have this added to the group!
This image was uploaded here — commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Space_Shuttle_Endeavour_p…
Thanks for using a CC liscense that allows re-use!
In answer to an earlier question, the placement of the shuttles would dangerously disrupt the airflow over the control surfaces of an unmodified 747.
I read that NASA specially modified two 747s so they could carry a shuttle safely. The modifications required were to place wider horizontal tail fins, so enough area was outside of the disrupted air flow, and on the ends of those horizontal tail fins there are two vertical tail fins, each with a rudder, also placing rudder control surfaces outside the disrupted airflow.
You can see (barely) these vertical tail structures at the ends of the horizontal tail fins.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/55289779@N00] Just a heads up (or down in this instance), this is NASA owned photograph. You may want to change the author title on wiki.
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