1:288 Space Shuttle with Boeing 747 Carrier
#12708

Was #1640

Although the Space Shuttle can travel faster and father than any
other aircraftyetflying, unless it is on a space voyage, it must
depend on other means of transportation just to get from one side

of the country to the other.

Since it must use such large extenal boosters to place it into
the air, it is not feasible to launch the shuttle for less than
orbital flight. To provide for "local" hops, NASA obtained a
giant Boeing 747 airliner from American Airlines, and alter edit
to carry the shuttle in a special cradle mounted to the fuselage.


In addition,a pair of vertical stabilizers was installed to
increase the stability of the 747 during the captive flights, and

to provide the necessary vertical surface for safe flight in the
event the shuttle collided with the 747's large tail fin.

The 747 was specifically modified for the initial flight testing
of the spaceship. To determine the flight characteristics of the
shuttle, it was mounted to the airliner and carried to altitude.
During captive flights, in which the shuttle remained attached to

the 747, the controls and other systems were tested as the pair
sruised over Edwards Air Force Base. Eventually, the shuttle was
carried aloft was flown back to Edwards on its own, the final
proof of its aerodynamic ability.