About two weeks ago I got to see Shuttle Enterprise Arrive in NYC. NASA Television has now posted some video of the Shuttle being unmated from the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Unlike most of the times we’ve seen this process it was done by crane.
When you see a large get it’s not terribly hard to appreciate it’s size. It’s not that hard to appreciate the amount of power needed to get it airborne. If you need a reminder, stand behind one that’s taking off.
It’s pretty easy however to overlook the amount of time/effort that goes into the giant task of painting an airplane. This several minute time lapse is pretty eye opening. It takes a long time and many people to paint even the most “simple” livery onto a plane. And that particular aircraft has had at least 3 distinct paint jobs, perhaps more since it’s over 20 years old.
Attach Orbiter Here
Note: Black Side Down
NASA is known as a pretty bureaucratic organization with lots of CYA procedures. But this is just a great little joke hidden up above one of the Boeing 747’s used to ferry the Shuttles when they land somewhere other than Kennedy Space Center.
It’s not just software engineers embedding Easter eggs in their work.
[Via: Wikipedia]
Took some photos and video of my trip to Saint Martin. The videos in particular aren’t the best quality, but quite fun to watch.
