Todos
← Back to Squawk list
(Video) Shuttle Enterprise Separates from 747 In-Flight - 1977
The Space Shuttle Enterprise never flew in space. It was the first Space Shuttle built (completed on September 17, 1976), and was used only for aeronautical flight testing. The Enterprise arrived at Dryden in January 1977 for a flight program involving a Boeing 747 airliner that had been modified for use as a shuttle carrier aircraft (SCA). (youtu.be) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Not having that go round option would bother the heck out of me. I guess like anything else in life though, you have a 50-50 chance of gear down.
I had the privilege of being able to climb aboard the Enterprise in Houston. Astronaut Jim Irwin was a keynote speaker at a computer conference I was in charge of and invited me to go with him to the space center to deliver some moon rocks that he had. Sat in the seats, looked out in to the bay, etc. Still have the pics from that once in a lifetime experience.
I drove from the San Fernando Valley at 5 o'clock that morning to watch that test flight no 14 freeway then just the old road pitch dark and cold had a terriffic view of the landing....I remember Britains Prince Charles was a guest there.....
cool!
I remember it well...I was home sick that day and got to watch it live. Hard to believe it's been 38 years. And to think that we're no longer capable of manned spaceflight without buying a ride from the...Russians.
Touchdown speed Alt
- 4:21 M 0.9 54 kft
- 4:00 M 0.7 32 kft
- 2:12 280 kts 15 kft
- 1:14 300 kts 12 kft
- 0:33 300 kts 2 kft
- 0:23 297 kts 500 ft
- 0:20 288 kts 300 ft
- 0:10 261 kts 65 ft
these data are from 1981 (STS-1 : first flight) planning. Things never changed, much.
As was said - Falling with style.
There were 2 glide slopes: PAPI for the steep and Ball/Bar for the inner (shallow). When you don't have go-around option your energy management dictates you come in hot and then dump what you don't need/want. Drag can be your friend. :-)