What happens when you need to transport a Space Shuttle over a bridge which cannot support the combined weight of the shuttle and its traditional tow vehicle? The answer is to use a commercial pickup truck instead.
This was proven possible by Toyota as its Tundra half-ton pickup truck stood up to the task of towing a 68 tonne Space Shuttle Endeavour across a 19km route through city streets in a mission to relocate the behemoth to its new home in the California Science Centre.
The Tundra used in the stunt was a stock 2012 Tundra CrewMax 4×4 with a 5.7-litre V8 engine that produces 381hp and 543Nm of torque. According to Toyota, the truck was purchased directly from a dealer prior to the stunt with no special modifications or equipment used.
Here’s a video to prove it for all of you non-believers.
