Shuttle Orbiter - Shuttle Orbiter side view Credit: © Mark Wade. 1,859 bytes. 402 x 158 pixels.

Enterprise, the first Space Shuttle Orbiter, was originally to be named Constitution (in honor of the U.S. Constitution's Bicentennial). However, viewers of the popular TV Science Fiction show Star Trek started a write-in campaign urging the White House to rename the vehicle to Enterprise. Designated, OV-101, the vehicle was rolled out of Rockwell's Air Force Plant 42, Site 1 Palmdale California assembly facility on Sept. 17, 1976. On Jan. 31, 1977, it was transported 36 miles overland from Rockwell's assembly facility to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility at Edwards Air Force Base for the approach and landing test program.

The nine-month-long ALT program was conducted from February through November 1977 at the Dryden Flight Research Facility and demonstrated that the orbiter could fly in the atmosphere and land like an airplane, except without power-gliding flight.

Two NASA astronaut crews-Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton and Joe Engle and Dick Truly-took turns flying the 150,000-pound spacecraft to free-flight landings.

The ALT program involved ground tests and flight tests. The ground tests included taxi tests of the 747 shuttle carrier aircraft with the Enterprise mated atop the SCA to determine structural loads and responses and assess the mated capability in ground handling and control characteristics up to flight takeoff speed. The taxi tests also validated 747 steering and braking with the orbiter attached. A ground test of orbiter systems followed the unmanned captive tests. All orbiter systems were activated as they would be in atmospheric flight. This was the final preparation for the manned captive flight phase.

Five captive flights of the Enterprise mounted atop the SCA with the Enterprise unmanned and Enterprise's systems inert were conducted to assess the structural integrity and performance handling qualities of the mated craft.

Three manned captive flights that followed the five captive flights included an astronaut crew aboard the orbiter operating its flight control systems while the orbiter remained perched atop the SCA. These flights were designed to exercise and evaluate all systems in the flight environment in preparation for the orbiter release (free) flights. They included flutter tests of the mated craft at low and high speed, a separation trajectory test and a dress rehearsal for the first orbiter free flight.

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Shuttle Orbiter - Shuttle Orbiter 2 view Credit: © Mark Wade. 4,696 bytes. 402 x 425 pixels.

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For all of the captive flights and the first three free flights, the orbiter was outfitted with a tail cone covering its aft section to reduce aerodynamic drag and turbulence. The final two free flights were without the tail cone, and the three simulated space shuttle main engines and two orbital maneuvering system engines were exposed aerodynamically.

The final phase of the ALT program prepared the spacecraft for four ferry flights. Fluid systems were drained and purged, the tail cone was reinstalled, and elevon locks were installed. The forward attachment strut was replaced to lower the orbiter's cant from 6 to 3 degrees. This reduces drag to the mated vehicles during the ferry flights.

After the ferry flight tests, OV-101 was returned to the NASA hangar at the Dryden Flight Research Facility and modified for vertical ground vibration tests at the Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

On March 13, 1978, the Enterprise was ferried atop the SCA to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, where it was mated with the external tank and solid rocket boosters and subjected to a series of vertical ground vibration tests. These tested the mated configuration's critical structural dynamic response modes, which were assessed against analytical math models used to design the various element interfaces.

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Enterprise - Orbiter "Enterprise" soars above the NASA 747 carrier Credit: NASA. 25,164 bytes. 622 x 471 pixels.

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It was ferried back to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility on Aug. 16, 1979, and then returned overland to Rockwell's Palmdale final assembly facility on Oct. 30, 1979. Certain components were refurbished for use on flight vehicles being assembled at Palmdale. The Enterprise was then returned overland to the Dryden Flight Research Facility on Sept. 6, 1981.

During May and June of 1983, Enterprise was ferried to the Paris, France, Air Show, as well as to Germany, Italy, England and Canada, and was returned to the Dryden Flight Research Facility.

In the April-October 1984 time period, Enterprise was ferried to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and to Mobile, Ala. From there it was taken by barge to New Orleans, La., for the United States 1984 World's Fair.

In November 1984 it was ferried to Vandenberg Air Force Base and used as a practice and fit-check verification tool. On May 24, 1985, Enterprise was ferried from Vandenberg Air Force Base to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility.

On Sept. 20, 1985, Enterprise was ferried from Dryden Flight Research Facility to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On Nov. 18, 1985, Enterprise was ferried from the Kennedy Space Center to Dulles Airport, Washington, D.C., and became the property of the Smithsonian Institution. The Enterprise was built as a test vehicle and is not equipped for space flight.

Upgrades and Features

Construction Milestones

07/26/72 Contract Award
06/21/79 Start structural assembly of Crew Module
08/26/74 Start structural assembly of aft-fuselage
05/23/75 Wings arrive at Palmdale from Grumman
08/24/75 Start of Final Assembly
03/12/75 Completed Final Assembly
09/17/76 Rollout from Palmdale
01/31/77 Overland transport from Palmdale to Edwards
04/10/79 Delivery to Kennedy Space Center
Enterprise's Flights:

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Enterprise - Orbiter "Enterprise" soars above the NASA 747 carrier Credit: NASA. 13,469 bytes. 460 x 271 pixels.

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1. 02/15/77 (Max speed 89 Mph)
2. 02/15/77 (Max speed 140 Mph)
3. 02/15/77 (Max speed 157 Mph)

Captive-Inactive Flights:

Craft.Crew Size: 2. Total Length: 37.2 m. Maximum Diameter: 23.8 m. Total Habitable Volume: 71.50 m3. Total Mass: 68,027 kg. Electrical System: Batteries.

Start structural assembly crew module, Enterprise (OV-101)

Start structural assembly aft fuselage, Enterprise (OV-101)

Wings on dock, Palmdale-less elevons, seals and main gear doors-Enterprise (OV-101)

Vertical stabilizer on dock, Palmdale (main fin box only), Enterprise (OV-101)

Start final assembly and closeout system installation, Enterprise (OV-101)

Aft fuselage on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise (OV-101)

Lower forward fuselage on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise (OV-101)

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Enterprise - Orbiter "Enterprise" soars above Edwards Air Force Base Credit: NASA. 24,895 bytes. 592 x 462 pixels.

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Upper forward fuselage on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise (OV-101)

Payload bay doors on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise (OV-101)

Complete final assembly and closeout system installation.

Start functional checkout, Enterprise (OV-101).

Start horizontal ground vibration tests and proof load tests, Enterprise (OV-101)

SSME dummy set on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise (OV-101)

Reaction control system/orbital maneuvering system pods (simulated), approach and landing tests, on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise

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Enterprise - Shuttle Orbiter "Enterprise" lands at Edwards AFB after third ALT Credit: NASA. 23,735 bytes. 621 x 354 pixels.

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Mass simulated SSMEs on dock, Palmdale, Enterprise (OV-101)

Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft mate start

Complete Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft mated

Conduct first inert captive flight, Edwards (2 hours, 5 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Conduct second inert captive flight, Edwards (3 hours, 13 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

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Enterprise - Orbiter "Enterprise" separates from the NASA 747 carrier Credit: NASA. 20,197 bytes. 600 x 287 pixels.

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Conduct third inert captive flight, Edwards (2 hours, 28 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Conduct fourth inert captive flight, Edwards (2 hours, 11 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Conduct fifth inert captive flight, Edwards (1 hour, 39 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Complete integrated checkout and hot-fire ground test, Edwards, Enterprise (OV-101)

First manned captive active flight. Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft, Edwards (55 minutes, 46 seconds)

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Enterprise - Orbiter "Enterprise" separates from NASA 747 carrier Credit: NASA. 24,131 bytes. 614 x 342 pixels.

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Third manned captive active flight. Enterprise (OV-101)/shuttle carrier aircraft, Edwards (59 minutes, 50 seconds)

Conduct first free flight, ALT, tail cone on, Edwards (5 minutes, 21 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 17

Second free flight, ALT, tail cone on, Edwards (5 minutes, 28 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 17

Third free flight , ALT, tail cone on, Edwards (5 minutes, 34 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 15

Fourth free flight, ALT, first tail cone off, Edwards (2 minutes, 34 seconds), Enterprise (OV-101), lake bed Runway 17

Fifth free flight, ALT, final tail cone off, Edwards (2 minutes, 1 second), Enterprise (OV-101), concrete Runway 04

First ferry flight test, Edwards (3 hours, 21 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Second ferry flight test, Edwards (4 hours, 17 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Third ferry flight test, Edwards (4 hours, 13 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Fourth ferry flight test, Edwards (3 hours, 37 minutes), Enterprise (OV-101)

Complete approach and landing flight tests, including ferry flights, Enterprise (OV-101)

Start removal for mated vertical ground vibration test modification at Edwards, Enterprise (OV-101)

Complete modification for mated vertical ground vibration test, Edwards, Enterprise (OV-101)

Ferry Enterprise (OV-101) atop shuttle carrier aircraft from Edwards to Ellington Air Force Base, Texas (approximately 3 hours, 38 min)

Ferry Enterprise (OV-101) atop shuttle carrier aircraft from Ellington AFB to Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

Start Enterprise (OV-101)/ ET mated vertical ground vibration test, MSFC

Reconfigure from boost to launch, mated vertical ground vibration test, MSFC, Enterprise (OV-101)

Complete mated vertical ground vibration test program at MSFC, Enterprise (OV-101)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101) from MSFC to KSC (1 hour, 52 minutes)

Complete left-hand OMS/RCS Phase I qualification, WSTF May 1 Enterprise (OV-101)/ ET/SRBs mated on mobile launcher platform,

Enterprise (OV-101), ET, SRBs transported on mobile launcher platform from Launch Complex 39-A to Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), KSC to Atlanta (1 hour, 55 minutes)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Atlanta to St. Louis (1 hour, 50 minutes)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), St. Louis to Tulsa (1 hour, 35 minutes)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Tulsa to Denver (2 hours)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Denver to Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah (1 hour, 30 minutes)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Ogden to Vandenberg AFB (2 hours, 20 minutes)

Ferry flight, shuttle carrier aircraft/Enterprise (OV-101), Vandenberg AFB to Edwards (1 hour, 10 minutes)

Enterprise (OV-101)/ shuttle carrier demate, Edwards

The Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise arrived at Vandenberg AFB for a series of facility verification tests.

• 7 - NASA Shuttle Mission Press Kits, NASA, 1981-present. HTML when accessed: http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/presskit/presskit.htm
• 8 - NASA Shuttle-Mir Web, NASA, 1997. HTML when accessed: http://shuttle-mir.nasa.gov/ops/mir/
• 15 - NASA Space Shuttle Launches, Kennedy Space Center, NASA, 1996. HTML when accessed: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/missions.html
• 44 - Jenkins, Dennis R,, Space Shuttle: The History of Developing the National Space Transportation System, Motorbooks International, ISBN 0-9633974-4-3, 1996.