25% off #sale on wall #Art like #posters and #Canvas #Prints:
When #NASA’s #Space #Shuttles were being retired, the #Orbiters had to spend time waiting for an open Orbiter Processing Facility in the Vehicle Assembly Building (#VAB).
#Photographers were allowed to go up to a higher level in the building to allow them to get shots like this, with Atlantis’ starboard wing painted with its name and the US flag.

Get a print of this or another image at https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-moved-to-vab-19-heron-and-fox.html

#SpaceShuttleAtlantis, #SpaceShuttle, #VehicleAssemblyBuilding, #KennedySpaceCenter, #KSC, #Photograph

Atlantis Moved to VAB 19 by Heron And Fox

Atlantis Moved to VAB 19 by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website

When #NASA’s #Space #Shuttles were being retired, the #Orbiters had to spend time waiting for an open Orbiter Processing Facility in the Vehicle Assembly Building (#VAB).
#Photographers were allowed to go up to a higher level in the building to allow them to get shots like this, with Atlantis’ starboard wing painted with its name and the US flag.

Get a print or other items with this image at https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-moved-to-vab-19-heron-and-fox.html

#SpaceShuttleAtlantis, #SpaceShuttle, #VehicleAssemblyBuilding, #KennedySpaceCenter, #KSC, #Photograph

Atlantis Moved to VAB 19 by Heron And Fox

Atlantis Moved to VAB 19 by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website

After #NASA retired the #Space #Shuttle in 2011, they planned to send the #Orbiters to museums. To get them ready, NASA removed the #SSME #rocket #engines and replaced them with replicas and decontaminated the parts of the Orbiter that held toxic fuel for in-space maneuvering, then be put on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

In this #photograph, #Atlantis (closer on the left) and #Endeavour (on the right) have been brought nose-to-nose for #photographers and #journalists to tell the story of the Shuttle’s #retirement.

Get a print of this image, or other merchandise, at https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-and-endeavour-meet-2-heron-and-fox.html

#SpaceShuttle, #SpaceShuttleOrbiter, #SpaceShuttleAtlantis, #SpaceShuttleEndeavour, #KennedySpaceCenter, #KSC, #spacecraft, #Photography

Atlantis and Endeavour Meet 2 by Heron And Fox

Atlantis and Endeavour Meet 2 by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website

After #NASA’s #Space #Shuttle Program was discontinued, the #Orbiters were given to museums, but they first required some modification, including removing the main engines and thruster systems.
The engines are being reused on SLS #rockets, while the thrusters, which used a toxic fuel, needed before it was safe for the public.
In this image, Shuttle #Atlantis is being moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building to wait for its turn to be refitted.

Get a print or other merchandise at https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-moved-to-vab-5-heron-and-fox.html

#KennedySpaceCenter, #KSC, #SpaceShuttle, #VehicleAssemblyBuilding, #VAB, #Photography

Atlantis Moved to VAB 5 by Heron And Fox

Atlantis Moved to VAB 5 by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website

When #NASA’s Space Shuttle #Orbiters were being assigned to #museums, the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex proposed to build a privately-funded museum to house #Atlantis and other space artifacts.
#KSCVC built a life-size replica of the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters outside their #AtlantisMuseum.

Get a print or other merchandise at https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/kscvc-atlantis-et-and-srb-display-1-heron-and-fox.html

#SpaceShuttle, #SpaceShuttleProgram, #SpaceShuttleAtlantis, #Replicas, #ExternalTank, #SolidRocketBoosters,

KSCVC Atlantis ET and SRB display 1 by Heron And Fox

KSCVC Atlantis ET and SRB display 1 by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website

When #NASA retired the #Space Shuttle #Orbiters, three institutions received them: Discovery would go to the Smithsonian, Atlantis would be put on display at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, and #Endeavour would be flown to the California Science Center.
Here, #Endeavour is being raised up in the Mate-Demate Device, designed to put the #Shuttle on the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and remove it.
Get a print or other merchandise at https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/endeavour-nose-and-forward-gear-in-the-mate-demate-device-heron-and-fox.html

#SpaceShuttle, #SpaceShuttleEndeavour, #MateDeMateDevice, #KennedySpaceCenter, #KSC, #Photography

Endeavour Nose and Forward Gear in the Mate-Demate Device by Heron And Fox

Endeavour Nose and Forward Gear in the Mate-Demate Device by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website
#NASA’s #Shuttle #Orbiters used a kind of #silica tile, called LI-900, to create the #SpaceShuttle’s reusable heat shield.
The tiles on the parts of the Orbiter than get the hottest have an added coat of special black paint to help insulate the Shuttle even further.
This image was taken while #Endeavour was at Kennedy Space Center being readied for museum display.
Get a print or other merchandise: https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/endeavour-in-opf-12-forward-gear-heron-and-fox.html
#KennedySpaceCenter, #KSC, #SpaceShuttleOrbiter, #SpaceShuttleEndeavour, #spacecraft
Endeavour in OPF 12 Forward Gear by Heron And Fox

Endeavour in OPF 12 Forward Gear by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website
#SpaceSaturday: After #NASA retired the Space Shuttle, the #Orbiters were given to #museums, but not before being prepared. On this photograph of #Atlantis, the 2 aft Orbital Maneuvering System Pods and forward Reaction Control System pod are missing. The missing forward #RCS is covered with clear tarp. The OMS pods left a silver-lined connection on the #ShuttleOrbiter.
In addition, the 3 Space Shuttle Main Engines have been removed for reuse on the #SLS #rocket.
Two Orbiter Processing Facilities are in the background, all were eventually leased to Boeing for the X-37B and Starliner programs.
#SpaceShuttle, #SpaceShuttleOrbiter, #SpaceShuttleAtlantis, # ReactionControlSystem #RCS, #Orbital ManeuveringSystem #OMS, #OrbiterProcessingFacility, #OPF,
https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-moved-to-vab-4-heron-and-fox.html
Atlantis Moved to VAB 4 by Heron And Fox

Atlantis Moved to VAB 4 by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website
After #NASA ended the #SpaceShuttle Program, the three #Orbiters, #Discovery, Endeavour, and #Atlantis, were all lent out to #museums for public viewing. This required the #spacecraft to be decontaminated from toxic propellants, and have their #SSME / RS-25D #rocket #engines removed for use in the #SpaceLaunchSystem and replaced by replicas.
This retrofitting required some awkward Orbiter dancing as #KSC only had 3 Orbiter Processing Facilities, and had already rented one out. So one Orbiter remained in the #VAB while another was processed.
In this #photograph, Discovery and Atlantis are changing places and meet in the middle.
https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-and-discovery-meet-heron-and-fox.html
Atlantis and Discovery Meet by Heron And Fox

Atlantis and Discovery Meet by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website
After the end of the #SpaceShuttle program, the #Orbiters were given by #NASA   to several museums; #Smithsonian got #Discovery, the #CalifoniaScienceCenter got #Endeavour, and #Atlantis went the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex #AtlantisMuseum, built with private funding.
Atlantis is displayed is if in #orbit, with its payload bay doors open and mounted up tall so that visitors can investigate every angle.
This shot shows the forward #landinggear doors on the Orbiter's nose, which is the first thing people see after exiting the short video introduction.
https://heronfox.pixels.com/featured/atlantis-nose-underside-heron-and-fox.html
Atlantis Nose Underside by Heron And Fox

Atlantis Nose Underside by Heron And Fox

Heron And Fox - Website