[BartSimpson]

The Space Shuttle Endeavour, on the top of a 747 carrier plane, flew over Sacramento today at about 10am PST. The fly-over was at about 500 meters over downtown and it reportedly came down to 300 meters over the suburbs. It was escorted by one F-15 fighter that flew in formation with the 747-Shuttle and a photographer who was near me with a 1500mm lens on his camera said he could see at least two F-22 fighters orbiting at high altitude, as well.

Let me say, this was fantastic to see!

At the same time, it is kind of mournful to know that the only reason we got to see this kind of thing is because the Endeavour is retired and being moved to a museum in Los Angeles. This was something that will never be seen again...anywhere.

Still, this is awesome to think that this ship flew into space 25 times and here it was, just over my head.

The pictures were shot on my Canon 50D and the original shots look a hell of a lot better than they do on PhotoBucket - sorry you can't see them in full HD.










I'll post more pictures on Monday.

[DrCaleb]

Awesome!

I would have loved to see Enterprise over New York too.

[martin14]

very cool, Bart

[BartSimpson]

Here's a shot from Imgur of the shuttle over the Golden Gate Bridge...

[xerxes]

Awesome pics Bartman!

[Regina]

[GreenTiger]

Thank You Bart these pictures look great. To see that fly overhead must have been thrilling, but it would also make me more than a little angry that that is the last thing that will fly in space made in this country carrying North American Astronauts.

[ShepherdsDog]

Too bad one couldn't have been attached to the ISS as an emergency escape vehicle.

[BartSimpson]

And another taken from the F-15 escort.

[BartSimpson]

GreenTiger wrote:

Thank You Bart these pictures look great. To see that fly overhead must have been thrilling, but it would also make me more than a little angry that that is the last thing that will fly in space made in this country carrying North American Astronauts.

This time next year we'll be talking about how President Romney will be fixing that problem!

[EyeBrock]

BartSimpson wrote:

And another taken from the F-15 escort.

Who took the shot Bart?

[BartSimpson]

EyeBrock wrote:

BartSimpson wrote:

And another taken from the F-15 escort.

Who took the shot Bart?

An uncredited NASA staffer or a USAF officer. One of the two.