a plane carrying atlantis

that is a pic of a plane carrying atlantis can someone please tell me if this is real the plane sort of looks fake but the scenery looks real can someone confirm this
and why is there a cap on the back?

[edit on 6-11-2007 by xbrendanx]

google is your friend:

NASA uses two modified Boeing 747 jetliners, originally manufactured for commercial use, as Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). One is a 747-100 model, while the other is designated a 747-100SR (short range). The two aircraft are identical in appearance and in their performance as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

747 Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

WikiPedia



[edit on 11.6.07 by toreishi]

They also used one of them to do glide tests with Enterprise. They'd take it up to high altitude and drop it and see how it did gliding to earth.

reply to post by xbrendanx


Yes that is real, it how the shuttle is transported from where ever it landed, to the assembly facillity in florida. It is also one of the main reasons for thier landing in florida now, so they dont have to fly it across the country.
The cap is to protect the exhaust nozzles and to clean up the inflight aerodynamics.