Discovery Rolls Past

Discoery and its support convoy approach along the Towway.

At 12:15 pm it was dog-sniff time at the car park before we boarded buses for the five minute ride to the roadside from which we could see Discovery being towed back from the airfield to the Orbiter Processing Facility. We were at the junction of the Shuttle landing Facility Towway and Kennedy Parkway North.

At first there was no sign that anything special might happen, other than a NASA Security van, orange light flashing, parked at the junction of the airport road and the main north-south road. At 1:30 pm a road sweeping truck went along, vacuuming the road.

There was nothing more to do than chat to the other colleagues and photograph an alligator swimming in the adjacent ditch.

At 2:20 pm, after an expectant wait, Discovery's white tail fin was visible above the distant treetops before the whole vehicle emerged around a distant bend in the towway. A slow procession of Orbiter, support vehicles and security personnel approached us at a slow walking pace.

At 2:37 pm I hoped the aligator I had seen and photographed (see insert) at this same spot in this waterway at 1:38 pm didn't snare this landing bird for afternoon tea!
Discovery rounds the bend in the Towway.
A few hours ago this vehicle was travelling at 28 000 km/h, now it proceeds at a slow walking pace, towed by the yellow tractor.
Notice the uncovered cockpit windows, in contrast to the covered ones seen last week on Atlantis.
The different shades of thermal insulation in part reflect different ages. Portions of the heat shield are replaced if damaged after each mission.
Discovery's port wingtip and following support "elephants."
An Orbital Maneovering System engine pod and behind it the lower part of the vertical stabiliser.
Discovry's vertical stabilser and rudder/speed brakes.
One of the Discovery's main wheel gears dwarfs the two technicians walking beneath the Orbiter's wing. These wheels are about the same size as one sees on modern jetliners.
Crew access hatch has been closed for the roll-back to the Orbiter Processing Facility.
The three main engines, uncovered, in contrast to Atlantis' preflight photos. Note the reaction control system thruster ports at the top left.
The excitement over, photographers pack up their gear ready to give chase as the Discovery turns and heads southward along Kennedy Parkway North. Note the Visitor Complex's tour buses stranded, waiting for Discovery to clear the road.

At this time the KSC Visitor Center tour buses and other NASA traffic was still travelling along the four-lane Parkway that we were standing beside.

Eventually, as the shuttle convoy came to within 100 metres of the junction of the two roads, the highway traffic was stopped by NASA security. This trapped several KSC tour buses right beside the media pack. The astonished tourists got an unexpected thrill as the Discovery rolled within 30 metres of their coach.

My camera was working overtime taking detailed photos of every square metre of the Orbiter's port-side surface, its yellow tow-back vehicle, and the elephant-like fume extraction vehicle following behind. I say "elephant-like" because the long bundles of thick hoses attached to the aft of the Orbiter made this long vehicle look like an elephant with its trunk attached to the tail of the elephant in front.

Although it had taken 25 minutes from when the Discovery had first come into view to reach our viewing position, its progress past us seemed rather quick. All too soon the convoy had passed us and headed along the highway before turning into the compound of the Orbiter Processing Facility buildings.

Discovery Towback Animation

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