What is a Super Guppy used for?
The Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a large, wide-bodied cargo aircraft that is used for hauling outsize cargo components. It was the successor to the Pregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy aircraft produced by Aero Spacelines. Five were built in two variants, both of which were colloquially referred to as the "Super Guppy".
What kind of plane is the Super Guppy?
The Super Guppy was built using a Boeing C-97 cargo plane. Photo: Unknown Wikipedia Commons. Specially designed to be able to carry components for the Gemini Space Program, the aircraft then called the Pregnant Guppy had the largest cargo compartment of any plane that had ever been built.
How big is the cargo hold on the Super Guppy?
This allowed the floor of the cargo hold to be widened from just under nine feet to a roomier 13 feet, making it possible to carry larger payloads. The Super Guppy is loaded with a component for the International Space Station. The plane was still a mash-up, with cockpit, wings and tail still coming from a 377, and the nose gear from a Boeing 707.
What happened to the Super Guppy?
California-based Aero Spaceline Industries (ASI) solved the problem of moving oversized cargo in 1961 when they decided to rebuild a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter and turn it into a massive cargo plane. The Super Guppy was built using a Boeing C-97 cargo plane. Photo: Unknown Wikipedia Commons.
What is the NASA Super Guppy used for?
Boasting an immense cargo area that is 25 feet in diameter and 111 feet long, the Super Guppy can carry items that are virtually impossible to fit inside other cargo aircraft. In early August 2022, it arrived at Marshall with a structural test article of part of NASA's mega Moon rocket.
How high can the Super Guppy fly?
25,000 feetIt is capable of taking off while carrying 170,000lbs of weight, is powered by four turbine engines with propellers, and has a cruising speed of 250 miles per hour. The vehicle can fly to a height of 25,000 feet. NASA started using the first Guppy aircraft in the 60s to quickly transport large rocket parts.
Is the Super Guppy pressurized?
Dubbed the Super Guppy, it was equipped with a 25' diameter cargo bay, more powerful engines, a pressurized cockpit, and a hinged nose for easier loading of cargo.
Which guppies are hardest?
Endler's livebearers are hardier than most guppies, particularly the "fancy" types. They don't eat their own young, and if there's nothing else in the tank that will eat their fry they'll eventually severely overcrowd the space.
What is the largest breed of guppy?
Fancy Guppy The Common or Fancy Tail Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) are one of the oldest types and have been popular with hobbyists for over 100 years. They're usually the largest species available in shops and are hardy community fish.
Does Super Guppy have a pilot?
The Super Guppy Today Flying with a crew of six or seven: two pilots, two flight engineers, a load master, and one or two maintenance technicians.
Do guppies have brains?
“Female guppies have larger brains for their body size than do males; our results suggest that males only grow larger brains when they will benefit,” Reader says. “Obviously, the next steps are to determine which parts of the brain are expanding, and how this impacts behaviour”.
Who built Super Guppy?
AirbusAero SpacelinesAero Spacelines Super Guppy/Manufacturers
Does the Super Guppy still fly?
"This is the last of a group of Guppy Aircraft and the only one that is still flying. There have been several different Guppy Aircraft going back to the 60s, but this is the last one built and the only one still flying."
Does Super Guppy have a pilot?
The Super Guppy Today Flying with a crew of six or seven: two pilots, two flight engineers, a load master, and one or two maintenance technicians.
Do guppies need high flow?
Guppies prefer slow-moving water in the wild. They thrive in moderate water flow. Due to their small size, they avoid fast-moving water or areas that are excessively deep.
Can a guppy fish fly?
Our freshwater Guppy is a pure pleasure to fly because of the lifting area, he does need to be flown with a Pilot.
What is a super guppy?
Super Guppy: The huge weird airplane built to carry spacecraft. (CNN) — Airbus Beluga, Boeing Dreamlifter, Antonov AN-225: these are the names of some of the biggest aircraft in the world, designed to carry extremely large cargo, such as parts of other planes. Because of their rarity and their extraordinary appearance, ...
How wide is the Super Guppy?
This allowed the floor of the cargo hold to be widened from just under nine feet to a roomier 13 feet, making it possible to carry larger payloads. The Super Guppy is loaded with a component for the International Space Station. NASA.
What plane is pregnant guppy?
A unique plane. The Pregnant Guppy was derived from one of Boeing's first airliners, the 377 Stratocruiser. Much like the modern Belugas and Dreamlifters, which are modified versions of passenger planes with a bloated fuselage, the Pregnant Guppy was derived from one of Boeing's first airliners, the 377 Stratocruiser.
What was the guppy trying to do?
The Guppy. "NASA was trying to figure out a way of moving objects that were very light but very large -- in other words, rocket components -- from one side of the USA to the other," says aviation historian Graham M. Simons.
When was the pregnant guppy preparing for flight tests?
The Aero Spaceline Pregnant Guppy preparing for flight tests in 1962. NASA. During the early years of America's fledgling space program, rocket parts headed to Cape Kennedy had to go through the Panama Canal or the Gulf of Mexico on barges, adding weeks to an already frantic schedule.
When did the Guppy mini come out?
In 1967 , Conroy expanded the Guppy family with the Mini version, which had a reduced cargo hold diameter of 18 feet. Two were built, although one crashed during a test flight, killing its crew of four.
Which aircraft replaced the super guppy?
Airbus built its Beluga supertransporters to replace the Super Guppy.
How long has the Super Guppy been in service?
Throughout the aircraft’s remarkable thirty-two years of service, the Super Guppy has flown about three million miles to aid the National Aeronautics and Space Administration programs.
Who owns the super guppy?
The Super Guppy has been taken over by the Airbus Beluga.
Why was the pregnant guppy not feasible?
Because of the restrictions of land travel, passing over land of oversized cargo was not feasible. In 1961, Aero Spacelines presented the Pregnant Guppy, the first of the Guppy line of aircraft assembled from a reformed KC-97 Stratotanker.
Why is the super guppy called the Frankenplane?
Nicknamed as Frankenplane because of its structure and old age. Tagged as Frankenplane due to its patchwork structure of parts from different aircraft, the Super Guppy is an oversized cargo transport manufactured by Aero Spacelines, Inc. It is the only aircraft in the world that can carry a complete S-IVB stage.
What is the second super guppy turbine?
The second variant known as the B-377-SGT Super Guppy Turbine, is a higher modified version. The Super Guppy Turbine is driven by 501-D22C engines from Allison Engine Company. It has a large cargo section made from scratch in place of being changed from the first C-97J components.
How long did it take for a guppy to reach the Cape?
This aircraft supported the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in delivering critical outsized cargo to the Cape in just 18 hours, compared to 18 to 25 days on a barge. After four years, the company further developed the Guppy line. In 1965, the Super Guppy, a larger version was introduced.
How far can a guppy take off?
It has a take off distance of 3,048 meters and 2,133 meters for landing. The Super Guppy Turbine has a maximum payload of 31,297 kg and a fuel tank capacity of 6,580 gallons. Its maximum take off and landing weight are 77,110 kg and 72,574 kg respectively.
Why is the 737 called the Guppy?
So why is the 737 called a Guppy? Back in the day though, the “Baby Boeing” looked more like a baby fish. Short in length, a bit chubby, highly adaptable, and not overly fast. The nickname was popular for a while but now that some 737s can carry as many people as a 757, the guppy has grown up quite a bit.
Is the Super Guppy pressurized?
The program was so successful that ASI followed up with an even larger version of the aircraft in 1965. Dubbed the Super Guppy, it was equipped with a 25′ diameter cargo bay, more powerful engines, a pressurized cockpit, and a hinged nose for easier loading of cargo.
What is the largest plane in the world?
The Antonov An-225 Mriya (Ukrainian: Антонов Ан-225 Мрія, lit. ‚dream‘ or ‚inspiration‘; NATO reporting name: Cossack) was a strategic airlift cargo aircraft designed in the 1980s by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union….Antonov An-225 Mriya.
How much weight can a Super Guppy carry?
The maximum payload for the Super Guppy is 54,500 pounds, with a maximum range at maximum payload of 564 miles. Its cargo compartment has a usable volume of 39,000 cubic feet. The Guppy is not able to carry as much weight as a normal cargo airplane, but it can load its cargo easily.
Where is the Super Guppy now?
The heat shield skin for the Artemis IV mission, the third crewed mission to the Moon, is now at Moffett Federal Airfield near NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, for the next phase of production.
When was the first Super Guppy built?
The first Supper Guppy converted for Airbus flown in 24 August 1970 and was delivered in 1971, one year after the delivery of the first parts for the first Airbus A300, delivered between 1970 and 1971 (the A300 made its maiden flight on 28 October 1972).
What is the Boeing 737 MAX called now?
Boeing appears to have started quietly dropping the “Max” from its 737 Max aircraft in the wake of recent air disasters, instead referring to a 737-8.
What is a super guppy?
NASA's Super Guppy is an aircraft built specifically to ferry large cargo. The Idea for the Super Guppy was introduced in 1965 after the agency's creation of Aero Spaceline Industries' Pregnant Guppy in 1961.
How much weight can a super guppy carry?
Nicknamed "Frankenplane," the Super Guppy was also an extra 14 feet in length and a diameter of 25 feet at the cargo bay, with the ability to carry 170,00 pounds, according to Newsweek.
Where did the pregnant guppy fly?
After two years, the Pregnant Guppy was airborne in California and Conroy was able to get permission to fly to NASA's Manned Space Flight Center in Houston for a demonstration. But, while NASA had officially been dubious, the Pregnant Guppy impressed the center's director and Conroy's aircraft became a valuable asset for NASA.
What was the largest cargo compartment in the world?
The Pregnant Guppy featured the largest cargo compartment of any aircraft ever built and stretched wide enough to carry the Saturn V rocket for NASA's Apollo program, which took humans to the moon more than 50 years ago.
How many SGTs were made for Airbus?
There were only four made for Airbus, but in a deal, NASA was able to buy one of the SGTs to replace its old Super Guppy.
Did Conroy say they could expand the Stratocruiser?
Conroy had heard that they were transporting components for future spacecraft and he said they could expand the Stratocruiser's fuselage to do so.
How many miles has the Super Guppy travelled?
During its illustrious years of service, the Super Guppy has clocked more than three million miles while playing a vital role in America’s Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and the International Space Station programs.
When did the Guppy take off?
Before the aircraft’s maiden flight near Los Angeles on September 19th, 1962, air traffic controllers were afraid that the shiny silver aircraft (that looked more like a Zeppelin than a plane) would encounter difficulties. As such, they contacted the police and fire department to be on alert in case of an emergency. In the end, the Guppy took off and safely landed without a hitch before going on to help America win the “space race” to put a man on the moon in 1969.
How fast can a pregnant guppy fly?
Equipped with a 25-foot diameter cargo bay, and more powerful Allison 501-D22C turboprop engines and a pressurized cockpit, the new Super Guppy was able to fly 1,700 nautical miles with a cruising speed of 250 mph.
When did supersized cargo planes start?
Before supersized cargo aircraft like the Super Guppy were thought up in the early 1960s, oversized cargo was transported around the country by barges that took a very long time to get from one place to another. California-based Aero Spaceline Industries (ASI) solved the problem of moving oversized cargo in 1961 when they decided to rebuild a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter and turn it into a massive cargo plane.
When was the super guppy built?
NASA. The Super Guppy was built in the 1960s and it remains a 1960s aircraft—without any modern electronics. Flying with a crew of six or seven: two pilots, two flight engineers, a load master, and one or two maintenance technicians.
What is a pregnant guppy?
This shiny silver monster, then known as the Pregnant Guppy, looks more like an airship than an aircraft. It's the epitome of the design philosophy "go big or go home." Today, despite being fifty years old, this frankenplane can still transport monstrous cargo, even outmatching the C-5 Galaxy by volume. Along the way, that cavernous cargo space would make the Guppy an indispensable part of humanity's journey to the Moon.
Why is the Guppy called the Frankenplane?
Its nickname "Frankenplane" is a literal one, because the the Guppy is actually made of elements from other aircraft. The idea was hatched one evening in 1960 when Conroy was talking with aircraft broker Leo Mansdorf, who had just acquired a number of old Boeing Model 377 Stratocruisers that he hoped to resell.
How much heavier was the pregnant guppy than the original Stratocruiser?
Although the Pregnant Guppy was only 3,000 lbs. heavier than the original Stratocruiser, the aerodynamics were far worse, and the cruise speed was reduced by extra drag.
Why did Conroy want to expand the Stratocruiser?
Instead Conroy wanted to stretch and expand the Stratocruiser's fuselage to transport rocket boosters and other bulky space hardware by plane. It was a crazy idea. Most of the people who looked at it said the thing would never fly with one NASA official saying the design looked like a pregnant guppy—the name stuck.
When did the Guppy plane come out?
On September 19, 1962 , the bizarre new aircraft took to the skies near Los Angeles. When former Air Force pilot Jack Conroy took off and safely landed this specially modified hulk of a plane without a hitch, he inaugurated a new age of airborne transport lead by Aero Spaceline's Guppy family of aircraft.
Where did Conroy fly the pregnant guppy?
Two years later, after the Pregnant Guppy had flown at Van Nuys, Conroy obtained special permission to fly the uncertified aircraft to NASA’s Manned Space Flight Center in Houston for a demonstration. Permission was given but required him not to fly over population centers.
Where is the NASA Super Guppy?
The heat shield skin for the artemis iv mission, the third crewed mission to the moon, is being tested at moffett federal airfield near nasa’s ames research center in california’s silicon valley.
Does Super Guppy have a pilot?
Two pilots, two flight engineers, a load master, and one or two navigators are on the super guppy today. Guppies have been in service since the 1930s and are still in production today. They have a long history of service with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, as well as with many other nations around the world.
Why is the 737 called the guppy?
Back in the day, the baby boeing looked like a baby fish. Short in length, a bit chubby, and not very fast. The nickname was popular for a while, but now that some planes can carry as many people as a 757, it has grown in popularity.
Who made the Guppy plane?
The first guppy model was introduced by aero spaceline. It was designed to be able to carry the huge second stage of a Saturn rocket for NASA’s Apollo program, which took humans to the moon in the 1960s.
How much weight can a Super Guppy carry?
Guppy can load its own weight, even though it is not able to carry as much weight as a normal cargo airplane. It is also equipped with two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-series turboprops.
How were super guppys transported?
Various options were studied to serve as a replacement transport medium for the Super Guppies, including methods of surface transportation by road, rail, and sea ; these alternatives were discarded in favor of a principally air-based solution as they were considered to have reliability concerns and were time-consuming in operation; in addition, the assembly line in Toulouse was not conveniently accessible by any of the surface methods. A key requirement of the new air transporter was the need to accommodate every major component being manufactured by Airbus, including the then-heaviest planned part, that being the wing of the larger variants of the Airbus A340. A speedy development program was also necessitated in order to begin introducing the prospective type in time to take over duties from the Super Guppy fleet, which was scheduled to draw down in the mid-1990s.
When did the Super Guppy start?
Airbus Skylink Super Guppy in 1984. When Airbus started in 1970, road vehicles were initially used for the movement of components and sections; however, growth in production volume soon necessitated a switch to air transport. From 1972 onwards, a fleet of four highly modified " Super Guppies " took over.
How much does the Beluga carry?
The main deck cargo volume of the Beluga is greater than that of the C-5 Galaxy or the Antonov An-124 but still smaller than Antonov An-225. However, it is restricted by cargo-weight capacity of 47 tonnes, compared to 122.5 tonnes for the C-5 Galaxy and 150 tonnes for the An-124. Despite this width, the Beluga cannot carry most fuselage parts of the Airbus A380, which are instead normally transported by ship and road. The Beluga has been used to transport some A380 components.
Where is Super Airbus based?
In August 1991, Aérospatiale and DASA, two of the major Airbus partners, formed a 50/50 joint venture company, Super Airbus Transport International (SATIC), based in Toulouse, France, to develop a new-build replacement for the Super Guppy fleet.
What was the most voluminous payload?
In June 1997, a world record was set for the most voluminous payload to be carried by an aircraft when a Beluga was used to transport a chemical tank for a merchant vessel from Clermont-Ferrand to Le Havre, France.
