Discovery's Ferry Flight Set to Start This Morning

Image above: Space shuttle Discovery was carefully placed atop its modified Boeing 747 carrier during mating operations in preparation for its ferry flight from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo: NASA/Tony Landis

Managers are giving a "go" for this morning's 9:20 a.m. EDT departure of the modified 747 carrying shuttle Discovery from Edwards Air Force Base in California. Discovery's "pathfinder" support aircraft will take off about 9 a.m.
Teams met at 7 a.m., to confirm Discovery's readiness for the ferry flight and evaluate weather. Conditions in the southern United States have improved and are favorable for the 2,500 mile trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The first leg of the journey will take Discovery piggybacked on the 747, known as a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, to the Rick Husband International Airport in Amarillo, Texas.
Teams will evaluate the weather again once they're in Amarillo to determine the next refueling stop. Their objective is to get to Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana this afternoon where they will stay overnight.
Managers plan to have Discovery back at Kennedy on Monday.
Source: NASA