From: address@is.invalid.retro.com   
      
   Op Thu, 11 Aug 2005 10:28:59 -0400, schreef Nog:   
      
   > Can the shuttle fly like a plane?   
      
   The Orbiter you mean? No, it cannot.   
      
   > I mean take off from a runway, fly around and land again. Could you fly   
   > it, for instance, from California to Florida? With the engines it has   
   > and onboard fuel capacity I suspect it could   
      
   The Orbiter has no fuel capacity to speak of. And it's main engines are   
   designed to suck a huge external tank dry in just 8.5 minutes, the time   
   required to reach orbit at around 30.000 km/h. It's either all or nothing   
   with that sort of engine.   
      
   > but don't know why they piggy back it on a 747 to move it.   
      
   Now you do.   
      
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