Airbus dispatched one of its Beluga ST transport airplanes to Orlando, Florida, to carry a satellite to Kennedy Space Center. [Courtesy: Airbus]
Key Takeaways:
The distinctive Airbus Beluga ST transport aircraft made its first visit to the U.S. in 15 years, landing near Orlando Sanford International Airport.
It transported an Airbus-built satellite from Toulouse, France, to the Kennedy Space Center for an upcoming space mission.
This event highlights Airbus's role in space activities and its recently launched global cargo service, which utilizes the Beluga ST fleet to transport outsize freight.
Most people are familiar with the expression, “When pigs fly,” but what about whales?
The Airbus Beluga ST might share its name and shape with a certain marine mammal, but it is fair to say the similarities end there. Still, people looking into the afternoon sky near the approach to Orlando Sanford International Airport (KSFB) today might have needed a double-take.
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Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4
