National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Space Shuttle Transition and Retirement

Three NASA space shuttles shuttle was being flown on are undergoing an extensive the back of a modified 747 transition and retirement (T&R) jet called the Shuttle Carrier phase at the agency’s Kennedy Aircraft (SCA). Space Center in Florida. Enterprise is targeted to be Technicians are removing flown to New York shortly after some hardware for possible Discovery is delivered to the future use and technical and Smithsonian. engineering studies. But the For more on the museum’s T&R work primarily is focused display plans, go to http:// on making the shuttles safe www.intrepidmuseum. facts and ready for public display. Courtesy of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex org/. An artist’s conception shows space shuttle Atlantis as the centerpiece Artifacts of a new exhibit for NASA’s Space Shuttle Program at the Kennedy Public Display Space Center Visitor Complex. Various shuttle simulators Sites and how the shuttle was the Endeavour to be displayed will go to the Adler go-to vehicle for transporting in the vertical configuration Planetarium in Chicago, the Atlantis International Space Station similar to how it looked on Evergreen Aviation and Space laboratories, modules and launch day. Endeavour is Museum of McMinnville, Ore., Shuttle Atlantis, which flew solar panels to low Earth orbit. targeted to be flown to and Texas A&M’s Aerospace its final mission, STS-135, in For more on the complex’s California in the second half Engineering Department.

July 2011, is the only shuttle NASA display plans, go to www. of 2012. A full fuselage trainer will NASA will keep and it will kennedyspacecenter.com. For more on the center’s go to the Museum of Flight in remain on Florida’s Space display plans, go to www. Seattle. A nose cap assembly Coast. Discovery californiasciencecenter. and crew compartment Atlantis will join NASA’s org. trainer will go to the National rockets, capsules and artifacts Shuttle Discovery, which Museum of the U.S. Air Force flew its final mission, from the Mercury, Gemini and Enterprise at Wright-Patterson Air Force Apollo eras at the Kennedy STS-133, in February/ Base in Dayton, Ohio. Space Center Visitor Complex March 2011, will go to the Shuttle Enterprise, which Orbital maneuvering system in early 2013. Smithsonian’s National Air was the prototype vehicle and engines will go to the U.S. Plans call for the 87-ton and Space Museum Steven F. used in NASA’s approach and Space and Rocket Center spacecraft is expected to look Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, landing tests in 1977, will of Huntsville, Ala., National like it’s soaring through space Va., for exhibition. Plans call move from the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum in when it is placed inside a new for Discovery to be displayed Udvar-Hazy Center to the Washington, and Evergreen as if sitting on the runway just 65,000-square-foot facility Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Aviation and Space Museum. after landing allowing visitors that’s being designed in the Museum in New York. At the to walk around the perimeter heart of the complex’s Space Intrepid museum, plans call Artifacts available Shuttle Plaza. of the spacecraft. for visitors to be able to see NASA is offering space Anchored at an angle, Discovery is targeted to be Enterprise as if it were about shuttle-related hardware guests will get an up-close flown to Virginia in April 2012. to touch down on the runway and equipment artifacts view of Atlantis’ belly and the For more on the center’s for eligible education thousands of black heat shield display plans, go to www. during the landing tests that institutions, museums and tiles that allowed the shuttle nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy. paved the way for future other organizations. For space shuttle flights. It also is more information, visit: to safely re-enter Earth’s Endeavour http://artifacts.nasa.gov/. atmosphere. expected to have a tailcone For more information The display also is set Shuttle Endeavour, which installed over the aft part of about how to request to reveal the way shuttle flew its final flight, STS-134, the shuttle, which was used other NASA space crews performed science in May/June 2011, will go to to protect the space shuttle artifacts, visit: https://gsaxcess.gov/ and research experiments in the California Science Center main engines and provide an NASAWel.htm. the weightlessness of space in Los Angeles. Plans call for aerodynamic shape when the Space Shuttle Components Space Shuttle Main Engines Orbital Maneuvering System (SSMEs) (OMS) Pods and Forward Reaction Control System Although the three space-flown shuttles will go to museums, they will not take their space shuttle main (FRCS) engines (SSMEs) with them. Instead, the shuttles The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) pods will have mock-up engine nozzles that will look and forward reaction control system (FRCS) will like the real thing. NASA is going to keep the real be removed from the shuttles at Kennedy and engines for use with the new Space Launch System shipped to White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, heavy-lift rocket. N.M., for cleaning and deservicing. The OMS pod and FRCS used hypergolic propellants, so any part or seal that could release harmful chemicals in the future will be cleaned or removed. The 6,000-pound thrust engines in the OMS pods will be removed and replaced with replica nozzles after the shuttles arrive at their display sites White Sands Test Facility before being returned to The FRCSs will spend about four months at Kennedy and being reinstalled into the shuttles.

Space Shuttle Transportation Each space shuttle will weigh about 175,000 Discovery, Endeavour and Enterprise off of the SCA 200 holes in the off-load ramp to anchor the wind pounds -- more than 87 tons -- when they are at each display site, the function of the mate-demate restraint system elements firmly. With everything ready for public viewing. device is accomplished using mobile dual heavy-lift in place, they can perform the work in winds up to When the shuttles are ready to leave Kennedy, cranes, a sling, and a specially designed wind about 20 mph. they’ll be placed onto the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft restraint system. It will take about 45 workers to Since Atlantis is staying at Kennedy, it will be (SCA) using the mate-demate device at the Shuttle perform this delicate task. transported to the center’s visitor complex via the Landing Facility. The mate-demate device provides The sling is almost identical to the one used Orbiter Transport System, which is a type of flat-bed the lifting cabability via a sling that connects to the as part of the mate-demate device and connects truck. It was used to move the shuttles from their shuttle, as well as the stabilization required to ensure to the wind restraint system, which includes four hangars, the Orbiter Processing Facility, to the proper alignment with the SCA attach points. masts and taglines to stabilize the orbiter during Vehicle Assembly Building prior to being attached to To perform the complex maneuver of safely lifting lifting operations. Workers will have to drill about the external fuel tank during launch preparations.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 www.nasa.gov

NASA Facts

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