The Flickr Shuttlelandingfacility Image Generatr

Flying along the Indian River toward KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is the orbiter Columbia as it nears touchdown on Runway 33 to complete the nearly 16-day STS-90 mission. This unique view with Titusville and the Indian River in the background was taken from the roof of the 525-foot-high Vehicle Assembly Building. Main gear touchdown was at 12:08:59 p.m. EDT on May 3, 1998, landing on orbit 256 of the mission. The wheels stopped at 12:09:58 EDT, completing a total mission time of 15 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes and 58 seconds. The 90th Shuttle mission was Columbia's 13th landing at the Space Center and the 43rd Kennedy Space Center landing in the history of the Space Shuttle program. During the mission, the crew conducted research to contribute to a better understanding of the human nervous system. The crew of the STS-90 Neurolab mission included Commander Richard Searfoss; Pilot Scott Altman; Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: STS-090-s-023
Date: May 3, 1998

The Space Shuttle orbiter Endeavour and its crew of six glide in to Runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center's (KSC's) Shuttle Landing Facility after spending nine days in space on the STS-72 mission, the first Shuttle flight of 1996. It is the eighth night landing of the Shuttle since the program began in 1981, but only the third night landing at KSC. Highlights of the mission were the retrieval of the Japanese Space Flyer Unit (SFU), the deployment and retrieval of NASA's Office of Aeronauts and Space Techology-Flyer (OAST-Flyer), and two Extravehicular Activities (EVA's) or spacewalks.

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Credit: NASA
Image Number: 96PC-0155
Date: January 20, 1996

A really cool artist's concept of a possible North American Rockwell (NAR) Phase A or B shuttle concept. NAR since the artist is the talented Henry Lozano Jr.
I couldn't find this anywhere, and actually to me, it looks more like a McDonnell design I came across. Nobody seemed to have both fuselage & underbelly mounted air-breathing engines, especially with the underbelly placement being that far forward.
My searching was fruitless despite the aid of this excellent & rather exhaustive document:

archive.org/details/spaceshuttlehist0000jenk_f6n1/page/14...
Credit: Dennis R. Jenkins/Internet Archive website.

I do know it's obviously related to the design of my below linked photo. And I believe it's subsequent to it, only because I read something somewhere stating that the winglets were dropped from consideration. Admittedly, I don't recall if it pertained to NAR.
As I've repeatedly stated, this period of shuttle designs & evolution is confusing to me.

Orbiter Discovery is riding on its main landing gear as it lowers its nose wheel after touching down on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew includes mission commander Curtis L. Brown, Jr.; pilot Steven W. Lindsey, mission specialists Scott E. Parazynski, Stephen K. Robinson, with the European Space Agency (ESA); payload specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA); and payload specialist John H. Glenn, Jr., a senator from Ohio and one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan-201 solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: 98PC-1554
Date: November 7, 1998

The Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis touches down on Runway 15 of the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at the conclusion of the nearly 11-day STS-86 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 5:55:09 p.m. EDT, October 6, 1997, with an unofficial mission-elapsed time of 10 days, 19 hours, 20 minutes and 50 seconds. The first two Kennedy Space Center landing opportunities on Sunday were waved off because of weather concerns.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: 97PC-1504
Date: October 6, 1997

Framed by the Vehicle Assembly Building in the distance, at left, and the Mate- Demate Device, the Space Shuttle Atlantis with its drag chute deployed touches down on Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Runway 33 at the conclusion of the STS-84 mission. The Shuttle Training Aircraft piloted by Astronaut Kenneth D. Cockrell, acting deputy chief of the Astronaut Office, was flying alongside Atlantis. Main gear touchdown was at 9:27:44 a.m. EDT on May 24, 1997. The first landing opportunity was waved off because of low cloud cover. It was the 37th landing at KSC since the Shuttle program began in 1981, and the eighth consecutive landing at KSC. STS-84 was the sixth of nine planned dockings of the Space Shuttle with the Russian Space Station Mir. Atlantis was docked with the Mir for five days. STS-84 Mission Specialist C. Michael Foale replaced astronaut and Mir 23 crew member Jerry M. Linenger, who has been on the Russian Space Station since January 15. Linenger returned to Earth on Atlantis with the rest of the STS-84 crew, Mission Commander Charles J. Precourt, Pilot Eileen Marie Collins, and Mission Specialists Carlos I. Noriega, Edward Tsang Lu, Elena V. Kondakova of the Russian Space Agency and Jean-Francois Clervoy of the European Space Agency. Foale was scheduled to remain on the Mir for approximately four months. He was replaced by STS-86 crew member David Wolf in September 1997. Besides the docking and crew exchange, STS-84 included the transfer of more than 7,300 pounds of water, logistics and science experiments and hardware to and from the Mir.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: 97PC-0844
Date: May 24, 1997

A flock of birds takes flight as the orbiter Columbia, with its drag chute deployed, touches down on Runway 22 of Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility to complete the nearly 16-day STS-90 mission. Main gear touchdown was at 12:08:59 p.m. EDT on May 3, 1998, landing on orbit 256 of the mission. The wheels stopped at 12:09:58 EDT, completing a total mission time of 15 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes and 58 seconds. The 90th Shuttle mission was Columbia's 13th landing at the Space Center and the 43rd KSC landing in the history of the Space Shuttle program. During the mission, the crew conducted research to contribute to a better understanding of the human nervous system. The crew of the STS-90 Neurolab mission included Commander Richard Searfoss; Pilot Scott Altman; Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan, D.V.M., Dafydd (Dave) Williams, M.D., with the Canadian Space Agency, and Kathryn (Kay) Hire; and Payload Specialists Jay Buckey, M.D., and James Pawelczyk, Ph.D.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: STS-90-s-018
Date: May 3, 1998

As the sun rises the morning of April 2, 1992, it casts a rosy glow over a stellar performer, the orbiter Atlantis parked on Runway 33 of the Shuttle Landing Facility. Atlantis touched down at 6:23 a.m. EST, completing a highly successful flight that was extended by a day to further the scientific research being performed on the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 (ATLAS-1) payload. On board OV-104 for Mission STS-45 was a crew of seven.

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

Credit: NASA
Image Number: 92PC-0724
Date taken: April 2, 1992

“Return of booster showing defueling stalls.”

A possible baseline/Phase-A NASA-derived flyback booster, about to touchdown for a powered landing on Runway 30, at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. Approximately three miles away, a shuttle can be seen ascending from Launch Complex 39A. Note what I assume to be an integrated Orbiter Processing Facility (with the three hangar doors), extending to the left from the VAB. Finally, per the original caption…“defueling” stalls. Yes, I’m quite sure it’s a “d”. And, it makes sense to safe the vehicle upon its return, away from the VAB. However, defueling “stalls” are a first-heard for me! Who knew? Did you??? I didn’t!!!
No signature & no clue as to the artist’s identity.

I’m usually not a fan of the combination photo/artist’s concept thing. However, for some reason, I’m okay with this one.

Lastly, thanks to Dennis R. Jenkins, author of "Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System: The First 100 Missions", and the wonderful Internet Archive website, the design is that of the Lockheed Aircraft Company, maybe/maybe not part of the Phase A period.

“Space Shuttle Mission STS-61, the first mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, comes to a flawless conclusion with a night landing on Runway 33 of KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility. The orbiter Endeavour touched down at 12:25:33 a.m. EST, marking the 18th end-of-mission landing at KSC.”

Of all the night landings, this one features the runway lighting illuminating the orbiter's fuselage at the most glancing angle possible, highlighting the minute relief of its surface insulation.

“Equipment and people from the orbiter convoy recovery team surround the orbiter Columbia following OV-102’s end-of-mission landing on Runway 33 of the Shuttle Landing Facility at 9:05:53 a.m. EST. The return brought to successful close the nearly ten-day flight of Space Shuttle Mission STS-52. The orbiter convoy recovery team safes and services the orbiter and assists in crew egress.”

A well-written description…WTF?

Note the extended accordion-like enviromental enclosure/interface of the Crew Transport Vehicle, visible just below the left-hand inboard elevon of the shuttle. Note also the tile entirely missing between SSME 2 & 3 on the base heat shield, immediately above the body flap.

Apparently the replacement for the Orbiter Coolant Transporter/S70-0508 Ground Coolant Unit, of which the blue boom on the left is a part of:

www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/f_staycool.html

ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19930016804/downloads/1993001...

“The dawn of a golden new era in international space cooperation is echoed in the gold-dusted morning sky that greets the orbiter discovery as it glides in for a landing on Runway 15 of the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. During the approximately eight-day, six-hour flight of STS-63, the crew completed a close-in rendezvous and flyaround with the Russian space station Mir, performed research in the SPACEHAB-3 lab module, and deployed and retrieved the SPARTAN-204 free-flyer. Heading up the six-member crew is Commander James D. Wetherbee; serving as his second in command is Eileen M. Collins, the first female Shuttle pilot; Bernard A. Harris Jr., a medical doctor is the payload commander; and Janice Voss, C. Michael Foale and Vladimir G. Titov, a veteran Russian cosmonaut, are the three mission specialists. Discovery’s successful rendezvous with Mir has served as an excellent dress rehearsal for a planned series of dockings between the U. S. Shuttle and Mir, slated to begin later this year. After the astronauts had landed, the cosmonauts aboard Mir radioed their congratulations on the mission’s completion and a job well done.”

An excellent display of what a used spacecraft looks like, this being Discovery’s 20th mission.

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archiv...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-63
Credit: Wikipedia

A beautiful Grumman Aerospace Corporation (GAC) artist’s concept of their “Design 619” shuttle on final approach & touchdown at KSC, powered by its deployed air-breathing engines.
Although his signature has been removed (actually, it looks like it was never there), confirmed to be the work of the the immensely talented Craig Kavafes.

The affixed caption of the black & white version of the image:

“Having completed its mission, which could last for seven days, the crew maneuvers the orbiter to return to Earth. Although the orbiter will encounter high re-entry temperatures, special heat protection material will protect the vehicle. The orbiter lands like an airplane on a 10,000 foot runway. Although the orbiter could land at a conventional airport, it probably will land at or close to its launch site.”

Other wonderful Design 619 images and pertinent observations, at:

www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?s=Grumman+619&s...
Credit: Aerospace Projects Review website

Excellent additional information:

“June 1, 1972:

Given that NASA had dictated in great detail the final design, the contractors' proposals differed only in detail. Grumman's orbiter had a 747-type hump-backed configuration, while Lockheed's featured a double-deck crew space. McDonnell-Douglas proposed an alternate auxiliary liquid propellant rocket motor for aborts in place of the mandated Abort Solid Rocket Motors. North American Rockwell's design featured a rounded double-delta wing. All contractors struggled with thermal protection system issues. Ablative materials were lighter, but the bad experience with the use of spray-on ablator on the X-15A-2 made such a solution for an operational vehicle problematic.”

At/from:

www.astronautix.com/s/shuttle.html
Credit: Astronautix website

A beautiful Grumman Aerospace Corporation (GAC) artist’s concept of their “Design 619” shuttle on final approach & touchdown at KSC, powered by its deployed air-breathing engines. Fortunately, the artist’s signature is visible, being that of none other than Mr. Craig Kavafes.
To me, the affixed UPI caption reads like the probable original GAC version:

“Having completed its mission, which could last for seven days, the crew maneuvers the orbiter to return to Earth. Although the orbiter will encounter high re-entry temperatures, special heat protection material will protect the vehicle. The orbiter lands like an airplane on a 10,000 foot runway. Although the orbiter could land at a conventional airport, it probably will land at or close to its launch site.”

As always, other wonderful Design 619 images (to include the diagram depicting the nose docking system), and pertinent observations, at:

www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?s=Grumman+619&s...
Credit: Aerospace Projects Review website

Additional excellent & pertinent information:

“June 1, 1972:

Given that NASA had dictated in great detail the final design, the contractors' proposals differed only in detail. Grumman's orbiter had a 747-type hump-backed configuration, while Lockheed's featured a double-deck crew space. McDonnell-Douglas proposed an alternate auxiliary liquid propellant rocket motor for aborts in place of the mandated Abort Solid Rocket Motors. North American Rockwell's design featured a rounded double-delta wing. All contractors struggled with thermal protection system issues. Ablative materials were lighter, but the bad experience with the use of spray-on ablator on the X-15A-2 made such a solution for an operational vehicle problematic.”

At/from:

www.astronautix.com/s/shuttle.html
Credit: Astronautix website

“A four-million-mile journey draws to a flawless ending as the orbiter Discovery lands at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33. Main gear touchdown occurred at 7:37:19 a.m. EDT, April 17, 1993. This was the 15th end- of-mission landing at KSC, the 5th for Discovery. Mission STS-56, the second Space Shuttle flight of 1993, lasted nine days, six hours, eight minutes. On board Discovery are a crew of five and the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science 2 (ATLAS 2), flying for the second time.”

“Kennedy Space Center is one of the landing sites for Shuttle orbiter, whose earth-orbital missions will last 7 to 30 days. Touchdown speed is about 346 km/hr (215 mph).”

Above per the caption of possibly the immediate successor version Rockwell International lithograph/print at:

utmb-ir.tdl.org/handle/2152.3/6911
Credit: University of Texas Medical Branch - Moody Medical Library/Texas Digital Library website

Note Launch Complexes 39A & 39B on the horizon, with another shuttle on the pad (39A?), being prepared for launch. Note also that the launch complexes seem to be only composed of the fixed service structure, reminiscent of the good old Launcher Umbilical Tower. Which btw, is yet something else to lament.

By Rockwell International artist/illustrator, Manuel E. Alvarez

“Suited technicians “safe” the Orbiter Challenger after eight days in orbit and a successful landing at KSC. Cooling and purge lines are hooked up to the orbiter to prepare it for towing to the Orbiter Processing Facility for post-flight assessment. The 41G astronaut crew arrived safely at KSC’s runway at the conclusion of the mission. This was the second shuttle landing at KSC since the beginning of the STS program.”

Note the tile damage:

www.nasa.gov/feature/35-years-ago-sts-41g-a-flight-of-man...

Very cool, especially since both OMS engine nozzles can be seen…the power plant of one of them being at the end of the European Service Module (ESM) of Artemis I:

mobile.twitter.com/ThePrimalDino/status/1504450964928942086
Credit: David Willis/Twitter

So, the large nozzle seen here is powered by one of the two OMS engines behind one or the other of the two nozzles visible in my posted photograph:

uploads.disquscdn.com/images/60ddeac864c868b26fed545499d5...

uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a5ed616c5381feb7ec49b0ae5640...
Both above credit: SPACE NEWS website

STS-41G being the engine's first flight, Artemis I its last.

Also:

www.aero-news.net/annticker.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=9...
Credit: Aero-News Network website

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_recovery_convoy
Credit: Wikipedia

A group of girls pose for a selfie in front of NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket at Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 23, 2022. As part of Delta Air Lines’ Women Inspiring Our Next Generation (WING) program, an all-female crew flew girls from a variety of Atlanta, Georgia area schools and organizations with a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) focus to Kennedy to learn about the various careers available at the Florida spaceport. While at Kennedy, the group also had the opportunity to hear from a panel of 18 women with a combination of careers from Kennedy and Delta and tour the visitor complex. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA image use policy.

Students from various schools and organizations with a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) focus are photographed at the Launch and Landing Facility following their arrival to the Kennedy Space Center on Sept. 23, 2022, as part of Delta Air Lines’ Women Inspiring Our Next Generation (WING) flight. The all-female flight crew brought girls from Atlanta, Georgia, ranging in age from 11 to 18, to learn about the various careers available at the Florida spaceport. While at Kennedy, the group had the opportunity to view NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket at Launch Pad 39B, hear from a panel of 18 women with a combination of careers from Kennedy and Delta, and tour the visitor complex. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA image use policy.

Part of the all-female crew for Delta Air Lines’ Women Inspiring Our Next Generation (WING) flight is photographed just after touching down at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 23, 2022. The flight brought girls from Atlanta, Georgia, ranging in age from 11 to 18, to learn about the various careers available at the Florida spaceport. While at Kennedy, the group had the opportunity to view NASA’s Artemis I Moon rocket at Launch Pad 39B, hear from a panel of 18 women with a combination of careers from Kennedy and Delta, and tour the visitor complex. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
NASA image use policy.