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One of NASA's two modified Boeing 747

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Space Shuttle Carrier aircraft, NASA 911

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has flown its final flight.

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The converted jumbo jet's final mission

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was a short hop of about 20 minutes

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from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center

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at Edwards Air Force Base

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to the Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility

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at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale California.

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Built in 1973, the big jetliner was flown in commercial

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airline service by Japan Airlines

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for about 15 years before NASA obtained it in 1989.

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After modifications, NASA 911

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flew as a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for

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the next twenty-one years

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carrying space shuttles sixty-six times

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on ferry flights.

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The design and the idea

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of how to move the orbiters

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was a very unique challenge to the engineers

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back in the early 70s and there was a lot of work

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that went into the initial design

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of, of how to modify the airplane,

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how to attach it

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you know what, what could
you do?

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You know, how would it fly?

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What precautions and things like that?

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Just goes to show you what American ingenuity an do.

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The converted jetliner will be retired

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and used as a source of parts to

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keep NASA 905,

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NASA's remaining Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

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flying until the  remaining shuttles are ferried