ORIGINAL: Art ARRO

erbroens,
Yes, I was involved with the flight testing of an R/C Space Shuttle model at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX many years ago.
We first launched a Shuttle model from a Sterling Gazorata (sp) mother ship. This concept was originated by John Kiker, a NASA employee, to solve the problem of transporting the full scale Shuttle vehicle from CA, where it was built, to Kennedy Space Center, FL where it would be launched from. The current thinking back then was to transport the Shuttle on a barge through the Panama Canal and across the Gulf of Mexico as it was too large for ground transport. John figured that the Shuttle vehicle could be mounted on a large aircraft and flown from CA to FL. A major engineering problem was the separation of the two vehicles if required, as during an emergency. Successful separation was initially achieved (to the amazement of the Rockwell Intl engineers) with the Gazorator and Shuttle model. It was all documented on movie film and I was a backup pilot for the Shuttle. Later in the project ,a 1/10th scale Boeing 747 was constructed and powered by 2 ea K&B 40 engines with Perry Pumps. I set up those engines for reliability at max power. Several successful separation tests were conducted between the 747 and the Shuttle model. I believe that the model 747 and Shuttle now reside at the AMA Museum in Muncie, IN. Those were the days!

Art ARRO