News Endeavour's Final Journey

[Codz]

Flaps and gear are down.

 

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Touchdown.

 

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Wheels stop.

Welcome to Houston.

 

[Tex]

Just saw it fly over my house.

 

[cljohnston]

Just saw it fly over my house.

Coolness! I'll be up on my own roof on Friday!

Shuttle Endeavour's Los Angeles flight plan revealed | abc7.com

 

[n122vu]

Well...assembled in Indiana.

So was I! :lol:

Still sad over the ending of the program. It's a shame I didn't get to see Endeavour fly when I was down in Florida last year. Once-in-a-lifetime chance, and she had a once-in-a-program glitch.

Godspeed, Endeavour. Enjoy your retirement, you've earned it. You all have. :tiphat:

 

[Notebook]

BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19645533

 

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Videos from NASAtelevision:

collectSPACE: Ferry flight in photos: Shuttle Endeavour's cross-country journey

 

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Some nice photos from the ferry flight in Space Shuttle Endeavour Transition collection (nasa hq photo's photostream on Flickr).



NASA News Release:
MEDIA ADVISORY : M12-187
Space Shuttle Endeavour Ferry Flight Continues West

Sept. 19, 2012

HOUSTON -- The space shuttle Endeavour atop its 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) is scheduled to depart Houston's Ellington Field at about 7 a.m. CDT on Thursday for California.

Departure is planned to the south with low flybys of Clear Lake and NASA's Johnson Space Center expected before the aircraft and shuttle turn northwest for a final pass over Houston heading west.

Public viewing only will be allowed from the permanent fence line at Ellington Field. Only news media and essential personnel will be allowed inside the perimeter fence.

After departing the Houston area, the flight plan includes a low pass over the downtown Austin area near the Texas State Capitol building between 7:30-8 a.m.

A fueling stop is planned at about 8:30 a.m. MDT in El Paso at Biggs Army Air Field. Takeoff from Biggs is planned for about 11 a.m.

After the refueling stop at Biggs, the SCA and Endeavour will make low-level flybys of the White Sands Missile Range and NASA's White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, as well as Tucson, Arizona en route to California. The flyover of Tucson will take place approximately an hour and 15 minutes after departure from Biggs.

Arrival at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base is scheduled for approximately noon PDT.

Following an overnight stay, the SCA and Endeavour will salute the Edwards Air Force Base area early Friday with a low flyby northbound to Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. Next the duo will travel south, making a pass over NASA's Ames Research Center, Vandenberg Air Force Base and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory before heading into the Los Angeles area.

Finally, the SCA and Endeavour will land about noon PDT at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), for an arrival ceremony before Endeavour is taken off the 747 and transported to its permanent home at the California Science Center next month.

The exact timing and path of the ferry flight will depend on weather conditions and operational constraints. Some planned flyovers or stopovers could be delayed or canceled.

{...}

 

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Departure from Ellington Field

 

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Endeavour arriving at Edwards live on NASA TV Public: http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv

 

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Wheels stop. Welcome to Edwards AFB! (Touchdown was at 19:51 UTC)

 

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Arrival at Edwards AFB in HD 720p from NASAtelevision:

Universe Today: Shuttle Endeavour Lands for the Final Time at Edwards Air Force Base



NASA News Release:
MEDIA ADVISORY : M12-188
NASA Invites Californians to Participate in Endeavour Flyover

Sept. 20, 2012

WASHINGTON -- NASA invites Californians to participate in space shuttle Endeavour's historic flyover of the state Friday, Sept. 21.

The orbiter, atop its 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), is scheduled to fly over northern California and a large area of the Los Angeles basin beginning at about 8:15 a.m. PDT, one hour later than originally planned. NASA, the California Science Center, and the Federal Aviation Administration delayed the start of the flight to increase the probability that fog over the San Francisco area will dissipate before the flyover.

During the four-and-a-half hour flight, social media users are encouraged to share their Endeavour sightings using the hashtags #spottheshuttle and #OV105, Endeavour's vehicle designation.

Members of the public are encouraged to share their photos of the SCA and Endeavour on NASA's Flickr group at:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/spaceshuttleendeavour​

For official NASA images of the SCA and Endeavour, see the NASA HQ Photography Flickr account at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto​

At 11 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. PDT), NASA Television will air the departure of Endeavour from Edwards Air Force Base as it begins its California flyover:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv​

The SCA and Endeavour will salute NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center and the Edwards Air Force Base area after takeoff with a low flyby northbound to Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Any time after 9:30 a.m. PDT, watch for Endeavour from viewing locations that include the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Chabot Space and Science Center, the California State Capitol, Exploratorium, Lawrence Hall of Science and Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Next the aircraft will travel south, making a pass over NASA's Ames Research Center and Vandenberg Air Force Base before heading into the Los Angeles area.

Any time after 11:30 a.m., watch for flyovers of Endeavour passing regional landmarks such as its future home at the California Science Center, Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, Disneyland, The Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles City Hall, the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, Malibu Beach, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, the Queen Mary, Universal Studios and Venice Beach, among others.

Finally, the SCA and Endeavour will land about 12:45 p.m., at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for an arrival ceremony before Endeavour is taken off the 747. The orbiter will be transported to the California Science Center next month.

The exact timing and path of the ferry flight will depend on weather conditions and operational constraints. Some planned flyovers or stopovers could be delayed or canceled.

{...}

 

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NASA JPL: Shuttle Endeavour Flyby to Bring an Old Friend to JPL

The Planetary Society Blog: A 3D photo album of Endeavour at Edwards Air Force Base

SPACE.com: Shuttle Endeavour's Last Ferry Flight: Amazing SPACE.com Reader Photos

Parabolic Arc: Endeavour Returns to California, Final Flight Set for Friday – UPDATED TIMES

Florida Today: What's it like to fly a plane with shuttle on top?

 

[cljohnston]

Aaaaand the final flight plan's been revealed!

CBS2/KCAL9 Obtain Endeavour’s Secret Flight Plan - CBS Los Angeles

 

[Codz]

SCA taxiing now.

---------- Post added at 03:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 PM ----------

An F-16 just kind of flew across the screen...

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:13 PM ----------

SCA at the runway.

---------- Post added at 03:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:16 PM ----------

There she goes. Endeavour is off on her final trip to Los Angeles, and a well earned retirement.

 

[orb]

Live views from the ferry flight on NASA TV Public:
http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv


EDIT: And now replays of departure from Edwards.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Just left Sacramento, probably gettingclose to San Francisco. Under escort from a USAF F-15E with external tanks, and likely a full load of cannon shells.

 

[sputnik]

Over the runway at Mojave, 2 1/2 hours ago:

 

[orb]

From NASAtelevision in HD 720p:

Parabolic Arc: Awesome Pictures of Endeavour Flying Over Mojave