NASA’s ferry flight of space shuttle Endeavour atop the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) has been rescheduled due to an unfavorable weather forecast along the flight path. The planned flyover of northern California has been postponed 24 hours and is now scheduled for the morning of Friday, Sept. 21.
The flyover viewing and a celebration of Ames Research Center’s numerous contributions to NASA’s Space Shuttle Program will now be held on Friday, Sept. 21. The event is free and open to the public.
The center’s gates will open at 6 a.m. PDT, and the event program is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., with a welcome from Ames Center Director S. Pete Worden. Also featured in the program are presentations highlighting Ames’ work on the space shuttle, including heat shield and wind tunnel testing, shuttle astronaut training, computational modeling and more. Ames’ subject matter experts, including a former shuttle astronaut, will mingle with the crowd and be available to answer questions about the shuttle and the significant role Ames played in the program.
In the mid-morning Friday, Sept. 21, 2012, the celebration will culminate with the planned flyover of the space shuttle. Reporters interested in attending the flyover event need to register with Jessica Culler, jessica.culler@nasa.gov or call 650-604-4789.
Because the event occurs during regular commuting hours, it is anticipated that it will increase traffic on nearby surface streets, as well as major highways including U.S.101, Highways 85 and 237. Attendees are encouraged to take mass transit or carpool. If driving, enter the center using the Ellis Gate by taking 101 to the Ellis exit and drive east on Ellis towards the Ellis Gate.
Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to perform low-level flyovers at about 1,500 feet above locations along the planned flight path over northern California, passing near Ames and various landmarks in multiple cities en route to its permanent home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour is mounted atop NASA’s modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
A resource video highlighting Ames’ contributions to the shuttle program is available for broadcast media upon request by calling 650-604-4789. Additional information about Ames’ contributions to the shuttle program and a digital press kit is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2012/shuttle-flyover-presskit.html
The exact timing and path of the ferry flight depends on weather conditions and operational constraints. Some planned flyovers or stopovers could be delayed or cancelled. If the ferry flight must be postponed for any reason, additional information will be made available at: http://www.twitter.com/nasaames
Social media users are encouraged to share their Endeavour sightings using the hashtags #spottheshuttle and #OV105, Endeavours orbiter vehicle designation.
More detailed information will be published as the event program is finalized. For the full schedule, visit the Ames events page: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2012/9.20.12_Shuttle_Endeavour.html
Ames also plans to webcast the program and flyover on its UStream channel from 8-10 a.m: http://www.ustream.tv/user/nasaames
For more about NASA missions and programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov
