Who was driving the Shuttle Enterprise barge?

[Rich Jones]

While transporting the Enterprise from JFK to the Intrepid by barge, whoever was driving managed to smack into a bridge and cause slight damage to a wingtip. That guy is going to take a lot of ribbing from his mates!
You'd think they would have had the route and conditions figured out nine ways from Sunday to avoid things like this.
But, I suppose wind and tide can screw up the best of tugboat captains.
Still, an embarassing day for that crew!

[Bob Adams]

Enterprise, although originally intended to be finished out (engines and such) and added to the fleet never was, never made it to space, and doesn't seem to get any respect!

[Rich Jones]

I saw it while in Washington last year. Enterprise never made it to the big show. It was built as a prototype and never flew in space, but does anyone know if it was used for test flights in the atmosphere?

[Mad Scientist]

Yes, it was used for test flights. Carried aloft on the B747, released and landed. I think they (NASA) were very concerned about the requirement to land successfully on the first attempt. No room for error on what was, at mission's end, a giant glider, and not one optimized for gliding.

Gosh, a design compromise...that would never happen with a wooden boat!

Tom

[Gerarddm]

I want the next E to be a starship. :-)

[Tom Galyen]

If you have an iPhone or iPad (Which is better for this) you can fly the shuttle. There is an extremely good NASA app for that.

[Paul Pless]

No room for error on what was, at mission's end, a giant glider, and not one optimized for gliding.

Yes a glider. But it was glider with a top speed of about 18,000 mph!!!

[ron ll]

There was an absolutely great episode of Car Talk several years ago where one of the astronauts called in from the shuttle. Tom and Ray didn't know that. He went on and on about how his government issued truck was making a terrible racket and vibration for the first two minutes, then it would smooth out and be quiet. Tom and Ray spent several minutes asking him questions about his "truck" before they finally figured out what his truck was. I tried to find an audio or transcript of it, but no luck.

[Paul Pless]

There was an absolutely great episode of Car Talk several years ago where one of the astronauts called in from the shuttle. Tom and Ray didn't know that. He went on and on about how his government issued truck was making a terrible racket and vibration for the first two minutes, then it would smooth out and be quiet. Tom and Ray spent several minutes asking him questions about his "truck" before they finally figured out what his truck was. I tried to find an audio or transcript of it, but no luck.

Its one of the most memorable calls I've ever heard on that show!

[Michael Beckman]

Bumping this thread to link this:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/9703-lost-space

[Tom Robb]

Tom & Ray are retiring the show this fall or some such. Then it's supposed to be reruns of the show. Perhaps it'll show up then.
It couldn't hurt to write them and ask for that call to be repeated.
I tried Mike B's link and got nowhere.