# Getting the shuttle back to Florida

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 9, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287 "2005-08-09T16:14:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287/1 "2005-08-09T16:14:19Z")

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I’ve always wondered. How do they get the shuttle back to FL from Edward’s AFB? Do they just simply fly it back? Tow it? Teleportation. What?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287/2 "2005-08-09T16:18:21Z")

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[piggyback](http://www.schools.pinellas.k12.fl.us/gallery/space%5C/Shuttle_on_plane2.jpg)

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**Author:** ![DesiBaller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@DesiBaller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesiBaller)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287/3 "2005-08-09T16:19:09Z")

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I think fly it back. I heard it will cost a million dollars to take it back.

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**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287/4 "2005-08-09T17:22:51Z")

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You should read the thread (currently active in GQ) on [comparing the weight the space shuttle to the weight of a 747-worth of passengers and luggage](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=329240) for a Doper oriented description of transporting the shuttle piggyback. (We have a Doper who was actively involved in the transport one time in the past who contributes to this thread. I’m too lazy to doublecheck and tell you which Doper it is).

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**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287/5 "2005-08-09T19:04:52Z")

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I’ve seen a shuttle on a 747 fairly up close and personal, years ago. What surprised me was how small the shuttle was in comparison to the plane. They seem so big, but they’re not, really.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-the-shuttle-back-to-florida/316287/6 "2005-08-09T19:44:11Z")

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Endeavor spent the night at Jacksonville AFB once due to weather. The pilot circled Little Rock the next morning. It was extremley cool. 🙂