Space Shuttle to Amaze and Terrify Washington DC with Low Flyover

[pokerfan]

Cool!

The Hill reports the decommissioned Space Shuttle Discovery, on the way to its resting place with the Smithsonian, will have one hell of a final flight on April 17th, 10 to 11 am:

While the exact route is still to be determined, the shuttle - strapped atop the space agency's custom Boeing 747 - should fly over the National Mall, National Harbor and Reagan National Airport.

All of this at 1,500 feet, which is about three times the height of the Washington Monument—but still very, very low for a Space Shuttle strapped to the top of another plane. This will likely be one of the most spectacular photo ops in DC since the Brits torched the White House—we can't wait to see pics. But let's hope the jittery military presence down there doesn't miss a memo and shoot the whole thing down. Although that would really be the greatest photo op.

http://gizmodo.com/5900630/the-space-shuttle-will-amaze-and-terrify-washington-dc-with-low-flyover

[Hassin Bin Sober]

1. I'm buying stock in Depends.

[Lasher]

2. Washington National Airport.

It was already named after a different president, and a much better one by any account.

[CBGLuthier]

3. When a space shuttle and a plane really love each other, first they get married and then...

[pokerfan]

4. Fly united!

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Years ago, I was crossing the campus of Johns Hopkins University and looked up ...

and just happened to see the Space Shuttle and its 747 carrier, flying *very* low and making a slow turn just north of the campus. "Knowing" that the SS couldn't possibly be there, I literally didn't believe my eyes. I looked around and most people weren't looking at it, but a few noticed it and started to point and comment. So I just watched it slowly fly out of sight, taking in all the detail, and slowly convincing myself that it was real. Later I found out it had overflown DC (so Congress could see it) and then took a little jog north to overfly the Space Telescope Science Institute (on the JHU campus), which was still fairly new and rapidly growing in importance.

[Glimmer of Hope]

11. That must have been something. I hope to get a look at it next week!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

6. Wow. I wish I could take pictures of the event

But I'm on the wrong coast.

[MisterP]

7. the Mall *and* Washington National? it'll have to turn pretty fast...

[felix_numinous]

8. Amazing the Smithsonian has room for this thing

where are they going to put it?

[jeff47]

10. They've got a very large facility near Dulles (nt)

[Blue_Tires]

9. There's a photo of the British burning the WH?

[madinmaryland]

12. They showed a video from FoxBritain in 1812 of it burning on The O'Rally Factor.

O'Rally was talking about those American Infidels that embarassed the British Empire and needing to be put down once and for all!!