On the back of a 747 forever

Space Center Houston's Space Shuttle replica Independence today reached its final destination atop the original Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Boeing 747 (SCA-905). The aircraft and simulated spacecraft tandem will remain on display at NASA's Houston facility where many millions of tourists will be able to visit it in the future.

The Shuttle replica, named 'Independence', was carefully lowered onto the back of the 747, which carried the Space Shuttles on its back for 35 years.

The real Shuttles are now to be found in museums in California, Florida and the Smithsonian. The Space Shuttle Enterprise, which was used for low-level test flights, can be found at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum in New York. (Photo: NASA/James Blair)

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