The US capital is a little uptight — particularly after 9/11, it’s easy to send the calm city of lobbyists and think tank dweebs into a frenzy. Here’s an idea: let’s blast a space shuttle strapped to a 747 over everyone’s heads.
The Hill reports the decommissioned space shuttle Discovery, on the way to its resting place with the Smithsonian, will have one hell of a final flight on April 17:
While the exact route is still to be determined, the shuttle — strapped atop the space agency’s custom Boeing 747 — should fly over the National Mall, National Harbor and Reagan National Airport.
All of this at 1500 feet (457m), which is about three times the height of the Washington Monument — but still very, very low for a space shuttle strapped to the top of another plane. This will likely be one of the most spectacular photo ops in DC since the Brits torched the White House — we can’t wait to see pics. But let’s hope the jittery military presence down there doesn’t miss a memo and shoot the whole thing down. Although that would really be the greatest photo op. [The Hill]
Photo of National Monument: NCinDC