May 9, 2005

Dryden Flight Research Center
P.O. Box 273
Edwards, California 93523
Phone 661/276-3449
FAX 661/276-3566

Alan Brown
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
Phone: 661/276-2665
alan.brown@dfrc.nasa.gov
RELEASE: 05-26

NASA'S SUPER GUPPY GETS NEW LANDING GEAR

GUPPY GEAR CHANGE -- NASA's B-377SGT Super Guppy Turbine cargo 
aircraft, operated by NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, 
recently underwent a landing gear change at NASA's Dryden Flight 
Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base. After jacking the immense 
cargo lifter up inside Hangar 1623, a team of JSC technicians removed 
its existing landing gear struts, wheels and tires and replaced them 
with a spare set, and then cycled the gear up and down to ensure 
proper operation. The unique aircraft, one of only four built and the 
last one still flying, transports oversized assemblies such as 
International Space Station modules, over long distances for NASA. 
Earlier Guppy-type aircraft have served NASA in this role since the 
Apollo days, when several of the type carried Saturn V moon rocket 
segments from manufacturers around the country to the NASA Kennedy 
Space Center for assembly prior to launch.

-NASA- PHOTO EDITORS: Publication-quality photos with captions to 
support this photo release are available for downloading from the 
Internet at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/newsphotos/.

	
-end-