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Excitement Over Austin Skies: Space Shuttle & NORAD Jets to Fly Over

NASA

The Space Shuttle Endeavor will take a low flight over Downtown Austin this morning.

The shuttle is attached to the top of a 747, and the plane is scheduled to fly over the Texas Capitol building between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. From Austin, the shuttle will head to El Paso for refueling.

After refueling in South Texas, the space shuttle will continue on its way towards Los Angeles where it will be placed on permanent display at the California Science Center.

The Space Shuttle Endeavor was the final NASA space shuttle to be built. The shuttle was constructed as a replacement for the space shuttle Challenger.

Endeavor completed its last mission in June of 2011. It and three other shuttles are going to museums across the country after the retirement of the space shuttle program.

The space shuttle may not be the only unusual aircraft in Austin skies today.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD plans to conduct fighter jet exercise flights between San Angelo and Austin this morning.

NORAD says the jets may be flying in close proximity to other aircraft, but it’s all part of planned exercises to practice responses to possible scenarios such as hijackings.

There are no specific details on when or where the exercise flights could take place.

Laura first joined the KUT team in April 2012. She now works for the statewide program Texas Standard as a reporter and producer. Laura came to KUT from the world of television news. She has worn many different hats as an anchor, reporter and producer at TV stations in Austin, Amarillo and Toledo, OH. Laura is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, a triathlete and enjoys travel, film and a good beer. She enjoys spending time with her husband and pets.
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