The 747 ferrying the orbiter Endeavour back to Kennedy Space Center is refueling in Texas in preparation for another leg of the trip today. With Endeavour bolted on its back, the carrier aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base in California just after 10 a.m. EST and touched down about two hours later at Biggs Army Airfield at Fort Bliss, Texas, near El Paso.
One more stop is planned today, but NASA won't disclose the destination until the aircraft takes off. That's expected by 3 p.m. EST.
But Endeavour appears unlikely to make it home Thursday because of a cold front advancing toward Florida, said NASA spokesman George Diller.
"We're going to go as far east as we can get," Diller said of the plans for Thursday.
Even with a good weather forecast, the ferry flight would need to make a refueling stop Thursday. Weather conditions will determine if that is the first or last stop of the day.
In addition to refueling at Fort Bliss, a team of technicians is examining the 747 and Endeavour before their flight resumes. A weather briefing will also be held.
You can track the vehicles' progress in real time today and Thursday by clicking here: Track Endeavour.
IMAGE NOTE: Click on the image above twice to fully enlarge it. This morning, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft takes off from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., with shuttle Endeavour on its back. The flight is to carry Endeavour back to its home base at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA.
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