After dropping the last space shuttle in Los Angeles, NASA 905, the modified 747 that transported shuttles across the country, quietly slunk back to Houston.
It was originally supposed to go to Dryden AFB in California to be used for spare parts, but instead was flown to Ellington in time for the annual Wings Over Houston air show. Now NASA has announced that the big Boeing will stay here – another sort of booby prize for not being awarded a real space shuttle.
The old plane, the 86th 747 to come off the line, served for several years as an American Airlines passenger jet before being bought and modified by NASA to shuttle the shuttles. Originally serving as the launch platform for the shuttle prototype in 1977, it went on to fly 70 of the 87 ferry flights over the life of the shuttle program.
So far, there has been no announcement as to where or how the plane will be displayed.
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