N911NA: NASA's Second Shuttle Carrier
The second Shuttle Carrier Aircraft began as a Japan Air Lines short-range 747. NASA added it to reduce dependence on a single carrier. Despite its domestic-airliner origins, its converted performance matched NASA 905.
The second Shuttle Carrier Aircraft began as a Japan Air Lines short-range 747. NASA added it to reduce dependence on a single carrier. Despite its domestic-airliner origins, its converted performance matched NASA 905.
Aircraft identity
- Registration: N911NA
- Variant: Boeing 747SR-46
- Serial number: 20781
- Former registrations: JA8117, N747BL
- Operator history: Japan Air Lines 1973 - 1988; Boeing conversion for NASA 1988 - 1990; NASA shuttle carrier 1990 - 2012
- Record status: Preserved
Aircraft history
| Date or period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1973 | Built for Japan Air Lines as a short-range 747. Source |
| April 1988 | Acquired for NASA by Boeing; conversion work began. Source |
| 20 November 1990 | Delivered to NASA in completed Shuttle Carrier Aircraft configuration. Source |
| May 1991 | First orbiter delivery: the new Endeavour to Kennedy Space Center. Source |
| 8 February 2012 | Final flight to Palmdale and retirement. Source |
| Preservation | Placed on public display at Joe Davies Heritage Airpark under a NASA loan. Source |
What makes this aircraft important
The former JAL registration was JA8117, not JA8817. Acquisition, registration changes and delivery after conversion are distinct milestones; the completed shuttle carrier did not arrive in 1988.
Status and access
The official collection or venue record lists this aircraft at Joe Davies Heritage Airpark, Palmdale. Interior access, tours and opening arrangements can change. Check the venue information before visiting.
Sources checked: 3 October 2026. Dates are as specific as the confirming source; an undated milestone is labelled as a period rather than given an invented day.
Related
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
|---|---|
| Variant | 747SR-46 |
| First flight | 31 August 1973 |
| Status | Preserved |
| Engines | 4× Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7J (as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) |
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the primary and institutional references below.
- Shuttle Carrier Aircraft fact sheet - NASA
- Shuttle Carrier Aircraft historical engineering record - NASA
- Joe Davies Heritage Airpark visitor information - City of Palmdale
- NASA 911 former registrations and airframe identity - Wikimedia Commons
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