OCTOBER 20, 2022 – The Super Guppy made a VERY rare stop at Tinker Air Force Base today for some gas on its way to Florida.
The NASA aircraft was delivering an Orion Heatshield for a mission expected a few years from now.
The transportation of oversized cargo has always been a tremendous problem for logistics planners.
The physical limitations of railroad tunnels, narrow roads, low bridges, and power lines make overland shipment of such cargo extremely problematic.
NASA’s Super Guppy offers a practical and economical solution to these problems.
There are other aircraft that can haul more weight, but few that offer the immense cargo area that is 25 feet in diameter and 111 feet long.
This allows cargo to fit into the Super Guppy that is nearly impossible to fit in other aircraft.
After little more than an hour the crew performed the flight plan and took the cargo to its final destination.
This aircraft is the only one of its kind still flying and it was a great treat for Team Tinker to get a look and opportunity to assist with the final leg of the journey.
The unusual design was originated in 1961 for carrying Saturn Booster Rockets during the Cold War. This replaced the old method of shipping by barges and cut the travel time of the rockets from three weeks to three days.
Story by Mark Hybers
72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs