Shuttle Enterprise Flight Over New York City Metro Area Moved To April 27

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA managers, in coordination with Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum officials, tentatively are targeting Friday, April 27, for the ferry of space shuttle Enterprise from Washington Dulles International Airport to John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York.

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Managers shifted the flight from Wednesday to Friday because of a large region of low pressure dominating the East Coast. The weather is predicted to be more favorable Friday.

NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with Enterprise mounted atop will fly at a relatively low altitude over various parts of the New York City metropolitan area on Friday. The aircraft is expected to fly near a variety of landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty and Intrepid. After the flyover is complete, the SCA will land at JFK.

The Federal Aviation Administration is coordinating the flight, which is scheduled to occur between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. EDT, weather permitting. The exact route and timing depend on weather and operational constraints.

Enterprise was mated to the SCA Saturday morning and covers were fitted over the shuttle's vent doors to prevent rain intrusion while the vehicle awaits its transfer from Dulles. The covers will be removed before flight.

Media will have access to the public areas at Dulles to view the departure of Enterprise. Media sending crews to Dulles should contact the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Office of Public Affairs at 703-417-8370.

During the weeks following the arrival, Enterprise will be demated from the 747 and placed on a barge that will move by tugboat up the Hudson River to Intrepid in June. The shuttle will be lifted by crane and placed on the flight deck of the Intrepid, where it will be on exhibit to the public starting this summer in a temporary climate-controlled pavilion. The Intrepid continues to work on a permanent exhibit facility to showcase Enterprise that will enhance the museum's space-related exhibits and education curriculum.

If the flight is postponed for any reason, an additional notice will be released.

For more information about NASA's transfer of space shuttles to museums, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/transition

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

SOURCE NASA