ATLANTIS ROLL OUT AT PALMDALE 1998

Air Force Plant-42, the place were all orbiters were built. In the foreground you van see the wing of the SCA.

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft N905NA. This ex American Airlines aircraft was the first SCA, NASA bought back in 1974. The second SCA, N911NA, is an ex Japanees Airlines aircraft and was first used in 1991 to fly Endeavour from palmdale to KSC.

The A structure. This device is being used to mate the Orbiter with the SCA. This structure was built for use at Vandenberg AFB, but when Shuttle flights from Vandenberg were cancelled it was transported to Palmdale. This device will also be used in the event the Space Shuttle has to make an emergency landing other than at KSC or at Edwards AFB. It will take about 4 days to make it ready for transportation on a Cargoplane...

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