Sands T Edwar shuttle landingsites—Kennedy SpaceCenter the astr shuttle duringappr business jetsmodifiedtoperformlikethespace The ShuttleT Shuttle T training intheT landings. Eachastr shuttle. Itcanalsobeusedtosimulateorbiter attitudes thattheywillexperienceinthespace help theastr 50,000 feet,isusedforaer Mach 1.2.TheT cr The T T transport andhigh-altitudeair a Ellington FieldistheheartofJohnsonSpaceCenter’ Ellington Field National Aer contr the shuttle’ One halfoftheST fr shuttle’ used totrainshuttlepilotsbyr t o -38 Jets ew membersandr Ellington isthetrainingofastr m 35,000feettotouc ol systems.Thishigh-fidelity trainer pr -38 isatwo-enginejetthatcanholdtwo ds AirFor s characteristicswithamazingaccuracy onauts hands-onexperience at theactual est FacilityinNewMexico. onautics andSpaceAdministration raining s andhasthesameguidance onauts becomeadjustedtounusual raining Air -38. ce Base,Calif.,andtheWhite -38, whichcanflytoheightsof A cockpitisvirtuallyidenticalto oach andlanding.TheST onaut r Aircraft each speedsashigh craft h down. eceives dedicated obatic maneuversto (ST craft, withmanytypesofNASAair epr A) ar onauts forspaceflight.Thefieldisalsoabaseadministrative,car oducing the e Gulfstr Aircraft ovides eam As ar , Fla., II e s flyingoperations.NASA craft atthehangers. ’ s primaryfunction go www .nasa.gov ASAN stcaf C-9 WB-57 The Boeing C-9 jet, nicknamed the “Weightless The two highly Wonder,” is a modified aircraft used to simulate modified Martin weightlessness for NASA’s Reduced Gravity WB-57 F Jet Program. The important functions of the C-9 Bombers are include reduced-gravity training for all astronauts based at and space-bound experiments. The aircraft Ellington and simulates weightlessness through a series of steep are used climbs and dives primarily for

between 24,000 scientific work. and 33,000 They are two- feet, making engine, tandem, two-seat research aircraft used stcaf passengers float to carry payloads to altitudes 12 miles above the in midair for up Earth. The WB-57 can fly above 60,000 feet at to 30 seconds speeds around 470 miles per hour. at a time. Shuttle Carrier Aircraft The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a modified Boeing 747-100 jet, is vital to the shuttle program. Attach mounts and tip fins are the only modifications from a basic 747. JSC uses the ASAN SCA to carry orbiters back to Kennedy Space Center if they land at other locations.

Gulfstream III The Grumman G1159A Gulfstream III is used as an administrative aircraft. Five of NASA’s centers operate airplanes for mission management; JSC’s is called NASA-2. The aircraft is used to transport astronauts and their family members between JSC and Kennedy Space Center for spaceflight mission support, as well as many flights supporting the needs of mission and project managers. Super Guppy The B377 SG Super Guppy is the only aircraft of its type in the world. This “fat” aircraft is designed to carry oversized spacecraft components — in particular, modules of the International Space Station. The Super Guppy’s cargo compartment is 25 feet tall, 25 feet wide and 111 feet long. It can carry cargo weighing more than 26 tons. The Super Guppy has a unique “fold-away” nose that creates an unobstructed loading area.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058 FS-2006-09-025-JSC