On the space shuttle I have seen pictures with a covering over the tail end. What is this for?

Aerodynamics when it’s being shipped back to Cape Canaveral. It reduces drag so that when piggy-backed on the 747, it doesn’t cause undo dragand air resistance.

SnfreQ, can we get a visual, for those of us who aren’t so astronomically literate? I have no idea what JP is talking about

http://airspeed.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=175204

use this one

awww, http error 404, that is my least favorite error…
i can’t get the link to work :(

This is one pic I found. Looks like sndfreQ is right.

edit :: this pic is better.

So, is the white pyramid part hidden by the wing, or am I just blind?

That is pretty awesome that they can do that.

Space program=coolest thing ever

It’s for storing all the green cheese they harvested from the moon.

it’s like one of those stuff they put on top of trucks…

Here’s a shot of the tailcone from above… part of The Big Picture‘s photo essay with the space shuttle Endeavor.