The SCAs were used to ferry Space Shuttles from landing sites back to the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center. The orbiters were placed on top of the SCAs by Mate-Demate Devices, large gantry-like structures that hoisted the orbiters off the ground for post-flight servicing then mated them with the SCAs for ferry flights.
In approach and landing test flights conducted in 1977, the test shuttle Enterprise was released from an SCA during flight and glided to a landing under its own control.
Source/s:
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Carrier_Aircraft
Editor's Note:
I might have to stop Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for a while now but I promise to get back on making the Final plane. I have to take a rest for now because detailing this aircraft caused me a head pain and I have to take a rest for a while.
I purposely delayed this to post this here in the forum.
NASA_SCA_1st.zip- (25.29 KiB) Downloaded 987 times
