EagleFan1997
07-02-2007, 08:56 AM
Shuttle makes surprise visit
Atlantis is first shuttle to land in Amarillo
Staff Photos | Spotted Gallery | Video
By Jim McBride
jim.mcbride@amarillo.com
Scott Carr had a big, fat secret to keep.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration notified him Friday the space shuttle Atlantis would need to use Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport's 13,500 foot runway. Early Sunday morning, Atlantis left Edwards Air Force Base in California, headed for Amarillo perched atop NASA's modified Boeing 747.
The Atlantis needed the long runway for a refueling pit stop because bad weather was forecast in its flight path to Florida.
Word of the landing spread quickly Sunday as hordes of aircraft enthusiasts and shuttle junkies lined Airport Boulevard waiting for the bird's arrival about 10:40 a.m.
"We found out Friday afternoon, and we had to scramble a little bit but we were able to pull it all together," Carr, Amarillo's airport manager, said over radio chatter as Atlantis prepared to take off again.
"There was a lot of equipment that we had to bring into the airport from off-site just to meet all of their requirements and just to work with all of our other partners: law enforcement, TAC Air, ... to meet their fueling requirements." Weather and the airport's long runway were deciding factors that brought Atlantis to Amarillo.
"There was definite weather impeding our path and in order to get east it was our best option," said Jennifer Tharpe, a NASA spokeswoman with Kennedy Space Center.
"The runway was within our limits. There aren't very many. There's actually 19 designated landing places across the U.S. for us," she said. "We wouldn't typically come to a commercial airport. ... We needed a place to land, so we ended up here."
Tharpe said Atlantis' visit to Amarillo is the first time the shuttle has landed here and that it's unique for the craft to land at a commercial airport.
NASA normally lands the piggyback shuttle at Defense Department facilities because crews there are specially trained to handle the shuttle's needs and provide emergency management support.
"We know that they've got everything that we need, they know the drill. They know how to handle it," she said. "But these guys did great handling our requirements the last few days," she said.
Carr said TAC Air, which refueled NASA's 747, Amarillo police, airport police, airport maintenance and others played key roles. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway also provided two specially trained dogs to help with security needs.
"I got a lot of support and help from everyone," he said. "I think they were very happy overall."
Atlantis, which carried seven astronauts on its latest space mission, landed June 22 after a 14-day trip to continue building the international space station.
The craft was not carrying any of the Atlantis crew when it landed here, but former astronaut Gordon Fullerton, commander of the 1985 STS-51F Spacelab 2 mission, flew the 747 carrying the orbiter into Amarillo, Tharpe said. She described Fullerton as an "ex-astronaut and super-duper test pilot extraordinaire."
After leaving Amarillo, Atlantis was destined for Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska for another fuel stop before it eventually returns to the Kennedy Space Center.
A major plus to landing in Amarillo, Tharpe said, is the fact the airport is named after Amarillo native and shuttle commander Rick Husband. Husband died Feb. 1, 2003, with his crewmates when the shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas on re-entry to the atmosphere.
"We're just goose bumps. It's great. This has been a great partnership and knowing the connection to Rick Husband. It's just been fantastic," she said. "We're glad we chose it. It has been a great experience."
Atlantis is not expected to arrive at Cape Canaveral until today at the earliest, with the possibility of a Tuesday arrival if weather is bad, NASA spokesman Bill Johnson said.
Going piggyback
NASA uses two modified Boeing 747 jetliners as Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The carrier aircraft are used to ferry space shuttle orbiters from landing sites back to the launch complex at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Orbiters are placed atop the carrier aircraft by Mate-Demate Devices, large gantry-like structures that hoist the orbiters off the ground for post-flight servicing and then attach them to the 747 for ferry flights. Three extra-strong struts are used to attach the orbiter to the carrier aircraft.
Source: NASA
Atlantis is first shuttle to land in Amarillo
Staff Photos | Spotted Gallery | Video
By Jim McBride
jim.mcbride@amarillo.com
Scott Carr had a big, fat secret to keep.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration notified him Friday the space shuttle Atlantis would need to use Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport's 13,500 foot runway. Early Sunday morning, Atlantis left Edwards Air Force Base in California, headed for Amarillo perched atop NASA's modified Boeing 747.
The Atlantis needed the long runway for a refueling pit stop because bad weather was forecast in its flight path to Florida.
Word of the landing spread quickly Sunday as hordes of aircraft enthusiasts and shuttle junkies lined Airport Boulevard waiting for the bird's arrival about 10:40 a.m.
"We found out Friday afternoon, and we had to scramble a little bit but we were able to pull it all together," Carr, Amarillo's airport manager, said over radio chatter as Atlantis prepared to take off again.
"There was a lot of equipment that we had to bring into the airport from off-site just to meet all of their requirements and just to work with all of our other partners: law enforcement, TAC Air, ... to meet their fueling requirements." Weather and the airport's long runway were deciding factors that brought Atlantis to Amarillo.
"There was definite weather impeding our path and in order to get east it was our best option," said Jennifer Tharpe, a NASA spokeswoman with Kennedy Space Center.
"The runway was within our limits. There aren't very many. There's actually 19 designated landing places across the U.S. for us," she said. "We wouldn't typically come to a commercial airport. ... We needed a place to land, so we ended up here."
Tharpe said Atlantis' visit to Amarillo is the first time the shuttle has landed here and that it's unique for the craft to land at a commercial airport.
NASA normally lands the piggyback shuttle at Defense Department facilities because crews there are specially trained to handle the shuttle's needs and provide emergency management support.
"We know that they've got everything that we need, they know the drill. They know how to handle it," she said. "But these guys did great handling our requirements the last few days," she said.
Carr said TAC Air, which refueled NASA's 747, Amarillo police, airport police, airport maintenance and others played key roles. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway also provided two specially trained dogs to help with security needs.
"I got a lot of support and help from everyone," he said. "I think they were very happy overall."
Atlantis, which carried seven astronauts on its latest space mission, landed June 22 after a 14-day trip to continue building the international space station.
The craft was not carrying any of the Atlantis crew when it landed here, but former astronaut Gordon Fullerton, commander of the 1985 STS-51F Spacelab 2 mission, flew the 747 carrying the orbiter into Amarillo, Tharpe said. She described Fullerton as an "ex-astronaut and super-duper test pilot extraordinaire."
After leaving Amarillo, Atlantis was destined for Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska for another fuel stop before it eventually returns to the Kennedy Space Center.
A major plus to landing in Amarillo, Tharpe said, is the fact the airport is named after Amarillo native and shuttle commander Rick Husband. Husband died Feb. 1, 2003, with his crewmates when the shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas on re-entry to the atmosphere.
"We're just goose bumps. It's great. This has been a great partnership and knowing the connection to Rick Husband. It's just been fantastic," she said. "We're glad we chose it. It has been a great experience."
Atlantis is not expected to arrive at Cape Canaveral until today at the earliest, with the possibility of a Tuesday arrival if weather is bad, NASA spokesman Bill Johnson said.
Going piggyback
NASA uses two modified Boeing 747 jetliners as Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The carrier aircraft are used to ferry space shuttle orbiters from landing sites back to the launch complex at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Orbiters are placed atop the carrier aircraft by Mate-Demate Devices, large gantry-like structures that hoist the orbiters off the ground for post-flight servicing and then attach them to the 747 for ferry flights. Three extra-strong struts are used to attach the orbiter to the carrier aircraft.
Source: NASA