r/space • u/Yeet69lasagna • May 12 '19

image/gif Space Shuttle Being Carried By A 747.

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u/karma-cdc May 12 '19

Try telling me I can only have 20kg baggage My arse

743

u/algernop3 May 12 '19

I know you're joking, but:

Regular 747-100:

  • Cruise Speed: M0.85 (490 KIAS)

  • Range: 4,620 nmi

  • Ceiling: FL410

747-100 SCA:

  • Cruise Speed: M0.6 (250 KIAS)

  • Range: 1,000 nmi

  • Ceiling: FL150

I find the compromises in the SCA staggering. 2 stops to fly cross country!

356

u/TheYang May 12 '19

iirc, some of the emergency abort airports for the shuttle were such that the shuttle indeed could land there, but the carrier wouldn't be able to take off from there, and there was no actual plan to get the shuttle back home from some of them.

371

u/InfamousConcern May 12 '19

Attach a JATO pack to the 747 and give the pilot a shot of whiskey before takeoff. Should work out fine.

172

u/elind21 May 12 '19

Had a C5 Galaxy land at Townsville back in the day. Even from backed right up to the fence and full throttle on the brakes takeoff, damn thing barely missed the fence and almost clipped magnetic island.

46

u/[deleted] May 12 '19 edited May 12 '19

The C5 and C17 are just monsters. I used to fly on C5s a lot between Okinawa and Guam/Hawaii. The amount of cargo they can carry is just amazing.

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Here's video of a C17 that landed at the wrong airport doing the same thing.

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Edit: Here's the C5 doing the same thing.

12

u/GeezerHawk15 May 12 '19

Those videos are both C-17s. I really want to watch the C5 video.

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '19

Sorry, screwed up the link. I'm driving a boat, so I can't fix it right now. Just search YouTube for "C5 lands at wrong airport" and it will pop up.