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SpaceX COTS demo 2 flight updates

– May 18, 2012

SpaceX is attempting to make history this weekend by sending their Dragon capsule to dock with the International Space Station. I will be providing periodic updates here, and on my Twitter account.

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May 19, 6:45PM EDT: SpaceX has traced the issue in engine number five to a faulty turbopump valve. Replacement of the valve is expected to be completed this evening, according to a statement obtained by SpaceflightNow.com. SpaceX’s official Twitter account reported that the next launch attempt will be Tuesday, May 22 at 3:44AM EDT.

May 19, 2:00PM EDT: I posted an update article on the Planetary Society blog:

The launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule was aborted last night a half-second before liftoff, due to abnormally high pressure readings in engine number five. SpaceX technicians will head to the launch pad today to visually inspect the engine today before deciding on a course of action.

Here’s a video of the launch abort:


Depending on the severity of the issue, options range from adjusting the acceptable launch pressure constraints to all-out replacement of the engine. SpaceX has a spare engine onsite at Cape Canaveral, but installing it would likely cause further delays. The next available launch window is Tuesday, May 22 at 3:44AM EDT (7:22 UTC), and another opportunity occurs on May 23. Launch windows for the COTS 2 demonstration flight are very narrow due to the amount of propellant the Dragon spacecraft requires to perform its demonstration maneuvers when it reaches the International Space Station.

Aborting the launch of a liquid-fueled rocket moments before liftoff is dramatic, but a routine procedure when sensors on the vehicle detect an issue. The space shuttle, in fact, went through similar launch aborts a handful of times throughout the program. Here’s a video montage of a few; notice how the shuttle stack continues to sway after the main engines cutoff, creating an unnerving situation for the astronauts inside the vehicle.

The astronauts on the International Space Station will continue to wait for the Dragon spacecraft’s arrival. The orbiting laboratory passed directly over Cape Canaveral just minutes before last night’s launch attempt, providing a photo opportunity for ESA astronaut André Kuipers.

cape-canaveral-from-ISS

A picture of Cape Canaveral from the International Space Station as it passed overhead, just a few minutes prior to May 19's aborted Falcon 9 launch attempt. Credit: André Kuipers

May 19, 4:04AM EDT: The main engines ignited, but shut down due to high chamber pressure in the fifth engine. The Falcon 9 has nine engines, all of which must be within optimal parameters for the rocket to commit to launch. SpaceX will only launch when the orbit of the ISS is optimal to save propellant for the Dragon’s demonstration maneuvers. The next attempt will be Tuesday morning at 3:44AM EDT.

May 19, 3:45AM EDT: Ten minutes and counting. SpaceX has completed their launch readiness poll and all stations report GO.

May 19, 4:30AM EDT: The Falcon 9 is fueled with LOX and RP-1, and is currently in a replenishment mode. Weather for the launch, 25 minutes from now, remains 80% favorable. SpaceX is not working any issues. The USAF reports a GO for the range.

falcon9

The Falcon 9, fueled and ready for launch. Credit: NASA TV

May 18, 10:15PM EDT: By now, both vehicles should be powered on. Liquid oxygen loading should start in just under three hours, at 1:05AM EDT. Rocket-grade kerosene loading will begin ten minutes later.

An earlier Tweet from Elon Musk said, “Next time Dragon sees the sun, it should be doing 17,000 mph over the Atlantic. ~8 hrs to liftoff.”

elon-musk-falcon-tweet

The Falcon 9 stands ready to launch. Credit: SpaceX / Elon Musk

May 18, 4:30PM EDT: SpaceflightNow has pictures of the Falcon 9 on its launch pad.

May 18, 3:15PM EDT: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was moved to the launch pad overnight. Weather remains 70% favorable for tomorrow morning’s 4:55AM EDT launch. Pre-launch activities will commence around 9:25PM EDT, when the rocket and capsule are powered on to prepare for launch.

falcon9

The Falcon 9 rocket after it was moved to the pad last night. Credit: NASA

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Planetary Society: SpaceX set to launch COTS 2 flight this Saturday

– May 18, 2012

This Saturday, SpaceX will attempt to make history by launching the first commercial spacecraft to berth with the International Space Station. The flight will demonstrate the Dragon spacecraft’s readiness to begin official cargo runs to the orbiting laboratory. NASA has signed off on twelve resupply flights, which could begin later this year. But before that happens, SpaceX has to prove their vehicle is up for the challenge.

spacex-cots2-demo-patch

The official mission patch for Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Demo 2, SpaceX’s inaugural flight to the International Space Station. Credit: SpaceX

 

It has been six years since NASA began accepting proposals for their Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. A press release at the time challenged private industry to “open new space markets and support the crew and cargo transportation needs of the International Space Station.” SpaceX’s May 19 flight, scheduled for a 4:55AM EDT (8:55 UTC) liftoff, marks the culmination of NASA’s efforts to pass the banner of low-Earth orbit cargo services from the space shuttle program to the commercial spaceflight industry.

The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule have not flown since their first demonstration flight in December 2010, during which the Dragon became the first privately-built spacecraft to orbit the Earth and return to the ground intact for recovery. To date, only the governments of the United States, Russia and China have accomplished this feat.

Private spaceflight has been at the heart of differing opinions regarding U.S. space policy. SpaceX has become the most visible symbol of the burgeoning industry, and the outcome of this flight will likely be used as a talking point for stakeholders on all sides of the debate. But despite the clenched-teeth excitement surrounding the launch, the flight remains a demonstration of the Dragon’s ability, not an official cargo run. 520 kilograms of food and supplies are going up, and 660 will come down, none of which are mission-critical should the flight end in disaster.

Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Demo 2, or COTS 2, combines a list of SpaceX objectives that were originally slated to take place during two separate flights, with berthing not scheduled until the second (COTS 3). However, last year, SpaceX approached NASA about the possibility of combining the missions, and the space agency agreed.

Before proceeding, SpaceX had to overcome ongoing issues with the Dragon capsule’s software testing and validation. NASA and its International Space Station partners have to be assured that the Dragon will respond properly in the event flight controllers order it to stop its approach. Additionally, SpaceX alluded to their own concerns that the Dragon might call for an abort when one was not necessary.

Launch activities get started the previous evening on May 18, as the Falcon 9 is prepared for flight. The launch window of 4:55AM EDT (8:55 UTC) is an instantaneous launch window, meaning any delay in the count forces a scrub, with the next launch window occuring three days later. Why such narrow constraints? The Dragon will be consuming a lot of propellant as it performs its space station flyaround and demonstration maneuvers. SpaceX wants to launch only at times that will minimize the amount of fuel required to catch up with the International Space Station, which completes an orbit around the Earth every 90 minutes.

Your correspondent plans on waking up around 4:30AM EDT on May 19 to watch and live Tweet the historic event. I also plan on posting live updates to my blog throughout the weekend as the mission progresses.

Here is the current mission timeline. This information comes from SpaceX’s press kit, and is subject to change.

FLIGHT DAY 1
Prelaunch events

Time to liftoff, H:M:S Event
7:30:30 Vehicles are powered on
3:50:00 Commence loading liquid oxygen (LOX)
3:40:00 Commence loading RP-1 (rocket-grade kerosene)
3:15:00 LOX and RP-1 loading complete
0:10:30 Falcon 9 terminal count autosequence starts
0:05:30 Dragon terminal count auto starts
0:02:30 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
0:02:00 Range Control Officer (USAF) verifies range is go for launch
0:01:00 Command flight computer state to startup, turn on pad deck and Niagara Water
0:00:40 Pressurize propellant tanks
0:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
0:00:00 Falcon 9 Launch

 

Ascent events

Time after liftoff, H:M:S Event
0:01:24 Max Q
0:03:00 1st stage engine shutdown/Main Engine Cut Off (MECO)
0:03:05 1st and 2nd stages separate
0:03:12 Stage 2 engine starts
0:03:52 Dragon nose cone jettisoned
0:09:14 2nd stage engine cut off (SECO)
0:09:49 Dragon separates from 2nd stage

 

On orbit operations/initial demonstrations in the far field

Time after liftoff, H:M:S Event
0:11:53 Start sequence to deploy solar arrays
0:54:49 Demonstrate absolute GPS
2:26:48 Start GNC Bay door deployment (holds sensors necessary for rendezvous)
2:40:49 Relative navigation sensors checkout, checks LIDAR and Thermal Imager
8:46:52 Demonstrate full abort, demonstrates Dragon’s ability to abort with a continuous burn
9:57:58 Pulsed abort demonstration, checks Dragon’s ability to perform abort using pulsating burns
10:37:58 Demonstrate Dragon’s ability to free drift

 

FLIGHT DAY 2
Phasing, Dragon moves closer to the ISS

  • Co-elliptic burns, place Dragon in a circular orbit
  • Height adjust burns, start adjusting altitude higher towards station

FLIGHT DAY 3
Flyby

  • Height adjust burn carries Dragon 2.5 km below the station (GO/NO-GO)
  • Dragon demonstrates relative GPS
  • Dragon starts receiving and transmitting information from/to the CUCU unit on the station
  • Height adjust burn carries Dragon away from ISS

FLIGHT DAY 3/4
Re-rendezvous

  • Dragon begins burns that carry the spacecraft above the space station (GO/NO-GO)
  • Rear height adjust burn, Dragon starts a series of maneuvers that place it behind and below the space station (GO/NO-GO)

FLIGHT DAY 4
Height adjustment maneuvers

  • Height adjust burn, Dragon begins burns that bring it within 2.5 km of station (GO/NO-GO)
  • Dragon again receives and sends information from/to the CUCU unit on station
  • Height adjust burn, brings Dragon 1.2 km from station (GO/NO-GO)
  • Height adjust burn, carries Dragon into the station’s approach ellipsoid (GO/NO-GO)

R-bar to capture (Radial bar is an imaginary line connecting ISS to the center of the Earth)

  • Dragon LIDAR Demo, shows LIDAR is providing Dragon with necessary information for proximity operations
  • Dragon holds at 250 meters (GO/NO-GO) for Demo Maneuvers
  • Dragon begins R-Bar Demonstration (GO/NO-GO)
  • Dragon holds at 30 meters
  • Dragon holds at capture point, 10 meters below the station
  • Station’s robotic arm (SSRMS) captures Dragon (GO/NO-GO)
  • Dragon berths

RETURN (TBD)

  • Dragon vestibule de-mate and depressurization
  • Station’s robotic arm uninstalls Dragon
  • Robotic arm releases Dragon
  • Dragon starts departure burns
  • Dragon closes the guidance, navigation and control bay door
  • Deorbit burn
  • Trunk jettisoned
  • Drogue chutes deployed
  • Main chutes deployed
  • Dragon lands in water and is recovered
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Expedition 31 continues

– May 15, 2012

Last night at 11:01PM EDT, Soyuz TMA-04M blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Aboard the spacecraft were Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, along with NASA astronaut Joe Acaba. The three-person crew will join Expedition 31 on the International Space Station when it docks early Thursday morning.

Here’s an amazing, movable, full-resolution image of the launch. Click to pop open, press escape to close.

Expedition 31 Soyuz Launch

Soyuz TMA-04M launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, carrying Expedition 31 cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, along with NASA astronaut Joseph Acaba. Credit: NASA / Bill Ingalls

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The big picture

– May 11, 2012

A picture can make all the difference when sharing the wonders of spaceflight, astronomy and planetary science.

For that reason, The Planetary Society’s new website places a much larger emphasis on the “pretty pictures” out there waiting for citizen scientists to discover and process. Emily Lakdawalla talks about this in her recent guest blog entry for Nerdist, and also has a great how-to article for creating your own images from raw spacecraft data.

I wanted to get in on the fun, so I added a new feature to my own blog: full-size, moveable images. A lot of my articles are about space vehicles, and there’s nothing like a giant photo to capture the glory of a launch.

First up, one of my favorite launch photos: a Delta IV Heavy rocket that happens to be ON FIRE.

I love D4H. The rocket consists of three ungainly liquid-fueled booster cores strapped together, making it look like someone literally took three rockets and tied them altogether. But that’s not why I love it. The D4H’s most alluring feature is, in my opinion, its ability to set itself on fire. This is actually true of all Delta IV series vehicles.

Here’s what happens: right before ignition, a lot of hydrogen gas gets dumped through the D4H’s RS-68 engines. This primes the engines for ignition, just a few seconds prior to the introduction of liquid oxygen. The result is a lot of excess hydrogen gas floating around the base of the rocket, which becomes a serious explosive hazard. The launch pad has several spark generators that intentionally ignite the hydrogen to burn it off, preventing what would be akin to a car backfiring. The burning hydrogen gas attaches itself to the rocket’s lower exterior, which is heavily insulated. The insulation, in turn, burns and smolders as the rocket rises.

All of this is completely normal, and makes for a spectacular scene. Click the image to pop open a full-resolution, moveable image. Close out of it by pressing your escape key.

Excess hydrogen gas ignites and burns the insulation of a Delta IV Heavy rocket as it lifts off on January 20, 2011. Credit: United Launch Alliance

The second picture I want to show you is a color composite I made of Saturn and Titan, using raw data from the Cassini spacecraft. I followed Emily’s above-mentioned how-to article to create this.

My only difficulties came from figuring out how to get the filtered red/green/blue images into each color channel for a stacked composite. Here’s a quick procedure I found with some Google searching that worked for me:

  1. Save the three raw Cassini images to your computer. Make sure you grab a matching red, green and violet/blue set. Also, it helps to change the filenames to keep them straight.
  2. Open all three images in your graphics program (I use Photoshop).
  3. Create a new image with the same dimensions as your individual images. Open your channels window, where you can select the red, green and blue channels individually.
  4. Select and copy the contents of one of your red, green or blue images.
  5. In your new image window, select the corresponding red/green/blue channel and make sure the other channels are hidden. Paste your image, and repeat the process for the other two channels.
  6. Once you have pasted all three channels individually, you can view them all together to get the color image. Then you can align the stack, cut out foreground objects, and clean up blemishes.

Here’s my result:

Color composite of Saturn and Titan, as captured by the Cassini spacecraft on May 6, 2012. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute, processed by Jason Davis

Thanks very much to the folks that created the Auto ThickBox Plus plugin for WordPress.

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In which I discover a canned goods space shuttle

– May 6, 2012

I stumbled, quite by chance, upon the sixth annual Canstruction Chicago event at the Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago. Canstruction is a nonprofit food charity that sponsors worldwide food drives where competing teams create indoor structures entirely out of canned goods. At the close of the event, the cans get donated to a participating local food bank; in this case, the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

My wife and I frequent the Merchandise Mart when our weekday lunch walks are stymied by inclement weather. The four-million-square-foot Chicago landmark was largest building in the world upon completion in 1930, built to house the city’s burgeoning wholesale goods trade. Today, the upper floors still contain private wholesale showrooms and offices, while the first two floors are loaded with publicly-accessible retail stores and restaurants.

My favorite Canstruction entry was, not surprisingly, “Cape CANaveral,” a space shuttle stack created from 1,700 cans of green beans, tuna, salmon and chili. The entry was created by a team from the locally-headquartered Boeing Corporation, which calls Chicago home. I’ll let the entry’s placard explain:

“Our structure is modeled after one of the most complex machines ever created, the space shuttle. Similar to the actual space shuttle, our CANcraft is capable of delivering and returning large loads of Chilli Man, tuna and beans to and from space. The space shuttle’s main elements — the orbiter, external tank and twin Solid Rocket Boosters — are assembled from more than 400 cans of green beans, 450 cans of tuna, 450 cans of salmon and 400 cans of chili. Weighing approximately 1,100 pounds at launch, this space shuttle accelerates to an orbital velocity of 1,700 cans in just over 12 hours.”

cape-CANaveral-canstruction-entry-boeing

"Cape CANaveral," a space shuttle stack made out of 1,700 cans of food. The structure was part of the Canstruction Chicago food drive event at the Merchandise Mart. Credit: Jason Davis

 

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Planetary Society: Examining India’s new RISAT 1 Earth observation satellite

– May 2, 2012

Just before sunrise on April 26, India’s southeastern skies were lit by the launch of RISAT 1 as it rocketed upward over the Bay of Bengal. It was a big moment for the Indian Space Research Organization, the country’s NASA equivalent. Radar Imaging Satellite 1 is India’s first spacecraft that can see the ground through both cloud cover and darkness. Its applications include monitoring the country’s agriculture during kharif season — the annual monsoon period — as well as the occasional military use to peek at neighboring countries.

pslv-c19-launch

India's Radar Imaging Satellite 1 lifts off aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. The April 26 launch took place at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Southeastern India. Credit: Indian Space Research Organization

 

At 1,858 kilograms, RISAT 1 it is the heaviest Earth observation satellite ever launched by India, and the weightiest payload ever hoisted by the country’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, known as PSLV.

The PSLV is a four-stage rocket, with alternating solid and liquid-fueled stages. It comes in three variants. The standard version uses six add-on solid rocket boosters; four ignite at liftoff, another two kick in mid-flight. The core-alone, or CA version, uses no solid rockets. Finally, an XL version — which was used for RISAT 1’s launch — comes equipped with more powerful solid rockets.

Thursday’s launch increases the number of consecutive PSLV flights without a failure to 21. The cost of the mission was a bargain by Western standards: $72 million USD for the satellite, and $21 million for the rocket, as reported by the Times of India.

Just how cheap is the PSLV? Here’s a table of what the United States has to offer in terms of comparable launch vehicles:

 Launch vehicle  Max payload to low-Earth orbit, kilograms  Cost, millions of USD (approx.)  Notes
 PSLV with RISAT-1  1858*  21
 Pegasus  450  36*  *for NuSTAR mission (XL variant)
 Minotaur IV  580  50
 Falcon 1*  1010  10.9  *future launches may occur on Falcon 9 as secondary payload
 Delta II  2700 – 6100  80*  *according to 2007 NASA survey
 Antares  5000  less than 100*  *as stated by Orbital in 2010 when the rocket was designated Taurus II
 Falcon 9  8560 – 10,450  54

RISAT 1 uses synthetic aperture radar, or SAR, to collect imagery. As the spacecraft travels along its polar orbit, inclined 97 degrees from the equator, it sends microwave pulses at the ground. These pulses, travelling at the speed of light, have a wavelength of 5.35 gigahertz and can pass right through cloud cover. They scatter upon hitting the ground, with some reflecting back to the spacecraft.

In optics, an aperture generally refers to the opening through which reflected energy passes to form an image. In the case of a visible light camera, this is the shutter opening. For radar, the aperture is the antenna that receives the reflected microwave pulses, and its length determines the resolution of the resulting image that will be constructed. A synthetic aperture is created by moving the real aperture — the antenna — as it receives its signal, thus creating an artificially longer aperture.

RISAT 1 zips around the Earth once every hour and a half at an altitude of 536 kilometers. In a slightly higher orbit of 766 kilometers, with an orbit a single degree more inclined at 98, is a fellow Earth observing satellite with SAR capabilities: the European Space Agency’s Envisat. After 10 years of service — twice its designated lifetime — Envisat mysteriously stopped transmitting on April 8.

The ESA has been scrambling to reestablish communications with Envisat, thus far to no avail. The French space agency CNES helped out by capturing an image of Envisat with their high-resolution Pleiades satellite as it passed within 100 kilometers. The stunning picture confirms Envisat is intact and in its correct orbit, but has rotated into an unexpected orientation.

Envisat-from-Pleiades

ESA's stricken Envisat satellite was imaged by the CNES satellite Pleiades at a distance of 100 kilometers. Envisat was shown to be intact but oriented in an unexpected position. Ground controllers have not been able to contact the satellite since April 8. Credit: CNES

Both Envisat and RISAT 1 can tweak the polarization and angle of their scans, depending on what surface characteristics they are imaging. This varies the possible width of the area being scanned — called the swath width — and changes the resolution of the resulting data. In general, higher-quality resolutions mean smaller swath widths.

Envisat’s now-silent SAR package is called ASAR; the ‘a’ stands for ‘advanced.’ It can produce resolutions ranging from 30 to 1000 meters, with swath widths between 5 and 400 kilometers. RISAT 1’s SAR is less versatile but offers higher-quality resolutions, including a ‘spotlight’ mode that can produce images with a resolution of less than 2 meters. The full range of RISAT 1’s image resolutions range from less-than 2 to 50 meters, in swath widths of 3 to 240 kilometers.

The failure of Envisat means the loss of more than just a SAR; Envisat has 10 Earth-observing instruments that are no longer monitoring our dynamic planet. When RISAT 1 completes its checkout phase and begins to operate, one more set of eyes will be added to the toolkit we use to monitor and understand our world.

Envisat-ASAR-Gulf-of-Mexico-2-May-2010

In this image from May 2, 2010, Envisat images the spreading Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The image was created using Envisat's Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar. Credit: ESA

 

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Amateur astronomy without leaving the house

– May 1, 2012

As much as I love looking at amazing pictures of the Cosmos captured by professional observatories on the ground or in space, there’s something amazing about looking through an eyepiece for yourself. As Carl Sagan put it:

“It’s been said that astronomy is a humbling, and I might add, a character-building experience.”

There’s something extremely satisfying about seeing, for example, a tiny image of Saturn through an amateur telescope. Furthermore, distant galaxies often appear as mere smudges of light, yet seeing them for yourself can be just as satisfying as leafing through digital reconstructions by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Remarkably, you don’t need to own your own telescope to be an amateur astronomer. There are several organizations with remotely-controlled telescopes that respond to the whimsy of the general public for free via the Internet. Such telescopes are rigged with astrophotography equipment, allowing you to submit viewing requests and download the results.

m51-whirlpool-processed-2012-04-29

M51, The Whirlpool Galaxy, in infrared light, imaged on April 29. Credit: University of Bradford, processed by Jason Davis.

 

The first option I recommend is the MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network, a worldwide network of ‘scopes provided by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. These telescopes are extremely easy to use. You can simply pick from a list of astronomical targets and submit your request. The turnaround time is very quick; usually, around a day.

Another free option I’ve used is the University of Bradford’s Bradford Robotic Telescope. The Bradford ‘scope is also easy-to-use, but has the added bonus of allowing more adventurous users to tweak additional image settings. Bradford has but a single observatory, so expect significant wait times of a month or more.

You can download your resulting images in either JPEG or FITS format; the JPEG will be pre-processed for ease of use, but a little sloppy in terms of quality. FITS files, on the other hand, require special imaging software to open them, but will help you bring out the best details of your observation. This is the same file format that professional astronomers use. I recommend trying FITS Liberator, which is free courtesy of the European Space Agency, the European Southern Observatory and NASA. The software includes a help guide to guide you through your early attempts.

The Sun, with a visible sunspot on the left side. Captured April 30 by the "Ed" telescope in Cambridge, MA. Credit: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, processed by Jason Davis

 

Happy hunting! If you know of other free or cheap robotic telescope sites, please share them in the comments.

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Yesterday’s Enterprise

– April 27, 2012

We were all dazzled by the amazing imagery of space shuttle Enterprise flying piggyback over New York City on April 27, en route to its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.

Here are 55 rare photos of Enterprise and its crews from the approach and landing tests that took place in the late 1970s. The photos are posted at their maximum resolutions, and the accompanying captions are original.

 

NASA Photo ID: S76-30340 File Name: 10076575.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 11/04/76

Title: Approach and Landing Test emblem Description: This circular, red, white, and blue emblem has been chosen as the official insignia for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Test (ALT) flights. A picture of the Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” is superimposed over a red triangle, which in turn is superimposed over a large inner circle of dark blue. The surnames of the members of the two ALT crews are in white in the field of blue.

NASA Photo ID: S76-29562 File Name: 10076576.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/17/76

Title: Two crews for the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) Description: The two crews for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) are photographed at the Rockwell International Space Division’s Orbiter assembly facility at Palmdale, California on the day of the rollout of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” spacecraft. They are, left to right, Astronauts C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot of the first crew; Fred W. Haise Jr., commander of the first crew; Joe H. Engle, commander of the second crew; and Richard H. Truly, pilot of the second crew. The DC-9 size airplane-like Orbiter 101 is in the background.

NASA Photo ID: S76-29557 File Name: 10076577.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/17/76

Title: Two members of the first crew of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) Description: The two members of the first crew for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) are photographed at the Rockwell International Space Division’s Orbiter assembly facility at Palmdale, California on the day of the rollout of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” spacecraft. They are Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr. (left), commander; and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot. The DC-9 size airplane-like Orbiter 101 is in the background.

NASA Photo ID: S76-28475 File Name: 10076578.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 09/08/76

Title: Portrait of Astronaut Fred H. Haise Jr. Description: Portrait of Astronaut Fred H. Haise Jr. in flight suit holding a model of the space shuttle.

NASA Photo ID: S76-29561 File Name: 10076579.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/17/76

Title: Astronaut Fred Haise first commander for Shuttle Approach and Landing Test Description: Astronaut Fred W. Haise Jr., commander of the first crew for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT), is photographed at the Rockwell International Space Division’s Orbiter assembly facility at Palmdale, California on the day of the rollout of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” spacecraft. The DC-9 size airplane-like Orbiter 101 is in the background.

NASA Photo ID: S76-28476 File Name: 10076580.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 09/08/76

Title: Portrait of Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton Description: Portrait of Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton in flight suit holding a model of the space shuttle. Subject terms:

NASA Photo ID: S76-29559 File Name: 10076581.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/17/76

Title: Astronaut Gordon Fullerton first pilot for Shuttle Approach and Landing Test Description: Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot of the first crew for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT), is photographed at the Rockwell International Space Division’s Orbiter assembly facility at Palmdale, California on the day of the rollout of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” spacecraft. The DC-9 size airplane-like Orbiter 101 is in the

NASA Photo ID: S81-34642 File Name: 10076582.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 07/01/81

Title: Portrait of Astronaut Joe H. Engle Description: Portrait of Astronaut Joe H. Engle in gold launch/entry suit, holding helmet. A model of the Space Shuttle is on the table next to him.

NASA Photo ID: S76-29560 File Name: 10076583.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/17/76

Title: Astronaut Joe Engle second commander for Shuttle Approach and Landing Test Description: Astronaut Joe H. Engle, commander of the second crew for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT), is photographed at the Rockwell International Space Division’s Orbiter assembly facility at Palmdale, California on the day of the rollout of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” spacecraft. The DC-9 size airplane-like Orbiter 101 is in the background.

NASA Photo ID: S76-28364 File Name: 10076584.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 09/08/76

Title: Portrait of Astronaut Richard H. Truly Description: Portrait of Astronaut Richard H. Truly in flight suit holding a model of the space shuttle.

NASA Photo ID: S76-29569 File Name: 10076585.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/17/76

Title: Astronaut Richard Truly, second pilot for Shuttle Approach and Landing Test Description: Astronaut Richard H. Truly, pilot of the second crew for the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT), is photographed at the Rockwell International Space Division’s Orbiter assembly facility at Palmdale, California on the day of the rollout of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” spacecraft. The DC-9 size airplane-like Orbiter 101 is in the background.

NASA Photo ID: S77-20860 File Name: 10076586.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 01/01/77

Title: Boeing 747 jet modified to carry shuttle flying over Rocky Mountains Description: A Boeing 747 jet aircraft, modified for use by NASA for the Space Shuttle Orbiter Approach and Landing Tests (ALTs), is seen in flight over the Rocky Mountains. Note the added structural supports atop the huge aircraft. The Shuttle Orbiter will ride “piggy-back” atop the NASA 747 for the ALTs. The NASA 747 will be used also to transport Orbiters to the Space Shuttle launch sites.

NASA Photo ID: S77-21079 File Name: 10076587.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 01/01/77

Title: Boeing 747 jet modified to carry shuttle en route to Dryden Description: A Boeing 747 jet aircraft, modified for use by NASA for the Space Shuttle Orbiter Approach and Landing Tests (ALTs), is seen en route from the Boeing facility at Seattle, Washington, to the Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Note the added structural supports atop the huge aircraft. The Shuttle Orbiter will ride “piggy-back” atop the NASA 747 for the ALTs. The NASA 747 will be used also to transport Orbiters to the Space Shuttle launch sites.

NASA Photo ID: S77-27528 File Name: 10076588.jpg Film Type: 35mm Date Taken: 08/12/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop the NASA 747 carrier aircraft during the early minutes of the first free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on August 12, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Two chase planes can be seen in the right background. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., and C. Gordon Fullerton were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-27512 File Name: 10076589.jpg Film Type: 35mm Date Taken: 08/12/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” soars above the NASA 747 carrier Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” soars above the NASA 747 carrier aircraft only seconds after separating during the first free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on August 12, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., and C. Gordon Fullerton were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-27945 File Name: 10076590.jpg Film Type: 35mm Date Taken: 08/12/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” soars above the NASA 747 carrier Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” soars above the NASA 747 carrier aircraft after separating during the first free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on August 12, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., and C. Gordon Fullerton were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-27546 File Name: 10076591.jpg Film Type: 35mm Date Taken: 08/12/77

Title: View of Mission Control during first Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests Description: An overall view of Mission Control Operations in the Mission Control Center, bldg 30, at JSC, during the first free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on August 12, 1977 at the Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. This view is looking across the console of flight director Donald R. Puddy. The television monitor in the background shows the Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” landing following its five minute 23-second unpowered free flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28211 File Name: 10076592.jpg Film Type: 35mm BW Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Astronauts Engle and Truly at breakfast priot to second ALT Description: Astronauts Joe H. Engle, center, commander and Richard H. Truly, left, pilot, enjoy breakfast prior to the second free flight of the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT), on September 13, 1977, in Trailer 69 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Joining the crew at breakfast is training officer Rich Nygren.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28212 File Name: 10076593.jpg Film Type: 35mm BW Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Astronauts Engle and Truly in cockpit of Orbiter 101 prior to takeoff Description: Astronauts Joe H. Engle (right), commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot, sit in the cockpit of the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) prior to takeoff of the NASA 747 carrier aircraft to which the “Enterprise” was mated. The photograph was made from the Mate-Demate Device (MDD).

NASA Photo ID: S77-28139 File Name: 10076594.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop the NASA 747 carrier aircraft during the second free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 13, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. One chase plane can be seen in the left background, another appearing to be directly under the Boeing 747. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, and Richard H. Truly were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28136 File Name: 10076595.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” separates from the NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” is seen separating from the NASA 747 carrier aircraft during the second free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 13, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, and Richard H. Truly were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28137 File Name: 10076596.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” soars above the NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” soars above the NASA 747 carrier aircraft during the second free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 13, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, and Richard H. Truly were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28138 File Name: 10076597.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” turns and banks during second ALT Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” makes a turn and bank maneuver during the second free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 13, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. The “Enterprise” separated form the NASA 747 carrier aircraft and after a five-minute, 28-second unpowered flight landed on a runway below. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, and Richard H. Truly were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28141 File Name: 10076598.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” turns and banks during second ALT Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” makes a turn and bank maneuver during the second free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 13, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. The “Enterprise” separated form the NASA 747 carrier aircraft and after a five-minute, 28-second unpowered flight landed on a runway below. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, and Richard H. Truly were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28209 File Name: 10076599.jpg Film Type: 35mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB after second ALT Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” lands on the desert at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude a five-minute, 31-second unpowered flight during the second free-flight of the Shuttle Approach and and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 13, 1977. Two T-38 chase planes remain with the “Enterprise” for the landing. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot, were the crewmen for the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28327 File Name: 10076600.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB after second ALT Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” stirs up a cloud of desert sand and dust as it lands at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude a five-minute, 31-second unpowered flight during the second free-flight of the Shuttle Approach and and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 13, 1977. On the right a T-38 chase plane comes in for a landing, also. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot, were the crewmen for the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28144 File Name: 10076601.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB after second ALT Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” stirs up a cloud of desert sand and dust as it lands at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude a five-minute, 28-second unpowered flight during the second free-flight of the Shuttle Approach and and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 13, 1977. On the right a T-38 chase plane comes in for a landing, also. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot, were the crewmen for the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28140 File Name: 10076602.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB after second ALT Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” stirs up a cloud of desert sand and dust as it lands at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude a five-minute, 28-second unpowered flight during the second free-flight of the Shuttle Approach and and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 13, 1977. On the right a T-38 chase plane comes in for a landing, also. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot, were the crewmen for the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28200 File Name: 10076603.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: View of NASA 747 and T-38s flying over Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” Description: This scene was photographed when the NASA 747 carrier aircraft and five T-38 aircraft flew over the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” while it was parked on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. The Orbiter 101 had just completed a five-minute, 28-second unpowered mission during the second free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) conducted September 13, 1977 at the Dryden Flight Research Center.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28210 File Name: 10076604.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/13/77

Title: Astronauts Engle and Truly following egress Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” Description: Astronauts Joe H. Engle (looking down), commander, and Richard H. Truly (face partially obscured by Engle), pilot, are greeted by Rockwell technicians following egress from the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise.” They had just completed a five minute, 31-second unpowered free flight in the “Enterprise,” the second of a series of such flights, conducted on September 13, 1977, at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) and Edwards Air Force Base.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28539 File Name: 10076605.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Crewmen of Shuttle Orbiter 101 arrive and greet technicians prior to ingress Description: The crewmen of the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” arrive at the Mate-Demate Device (MDD) and greet technicians and others (not pictured) prior to ingress. They are Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., right, commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28543 File Name: 10076606.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Crewmen of Shuttle Orbiter 101 prior to ingress Description: The crewmen of the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” pass the guard shack as they prepare to ingress the Orbiter as it sits in piggyback mode atop a NASA 747 carrier aircraft at the Mate-Demate Device (MDD) at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC). Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., right, commander; and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot are dressed in flight suits. Suit technician Joe Schmitt is in the background.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28542 File Name: 10076607.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” separates from the NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” separates from the NASA 747 carrier aircraft during the third free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 23, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. The vehicle with Astronauts Fred W. Haise, and C. Gordon Fullerton remained in unpowered flight for five minutes and 34 seconds before landing on the desert land of Edwards Air Force Base. The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28649 File Name: 10076608.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop the NASA 747 carrier aircraft during the third free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 23, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Three chase planes can be seen in the picture. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot were the crew of the “Enterprise.” The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28667 File Name: 10076609.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” soars above Edwards Air Force Base Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” soars above the North Base area of Edwards Air Force Base during the third free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on September 23, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Three chase planes follow in its wake. Its crew consists of Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot. The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28540 File Name: 10076610.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB after third ALT Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” approaches touchdown on the runnway at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude a five-minute, 34-second unpowered flight during the third free-flight of the Shuttle Approach and and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 23, 1977. Three T-38 chase planes follow close by. Astronauts Fred W. Haise,Jr., commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, were the crewmen for the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28668 File Name: 10076611.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB after third ALT Description: The Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” approaches touchdown on the runnway at Edwards Air Force Base to conclude a five-minute, 34-second unpowered flight during the third free-flight of the Shuttle Approach and and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 23, 1977. Three T-38 chase planes follow close by. Astronauts Fred W. Haise,Jr., commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, were the crewmen for the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28541 File Name: 10076612.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: View of NASA 747 and T-38s flying over Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” Description: This scene was photographed when the NASA 747 carrier aircraft and six T-38 aircraft flew over the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” while it was parked on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. The Orbiter 101 had just completed a five-minute, 34-second unpowered mission during the third free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) conducted September 23, 1977 at the Dryden Flight Research Center.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28537 File Name: 10076613.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Astronauts Haise and Fullerton walk away from Shuttle Orbiter 101 Description: The two crewmen of the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” walk from their parked craft on desert land of Edward’s Air Force Base following a successful five-minute, 34 second unpowered mission during the third in a series of Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) free flights. They are Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commander, left, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28538 File Name: 10076614.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 09/23/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” parked on runway at Edwards AFB Description: The Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” is parked on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base following a five-minute, 34-second unpowered mission during the third free flight of the Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Test (ALT) series, on September 23, 1977. The two Orbiter 101 crewmen are in the insert, Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr. (left), commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28961 File Name: 10076615.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop the NASA 747 carrier aircraft prior to separating from it for the first “tail-cone off” free flight of the Shuttle Apporach and Landing Tests (ALTs) program. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot were the crew of the “Enterprise.” This flight marked the fourth in a series of ALT free flights from Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28931 File Name: 10076616.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” separates from the NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” separates from the NASA 747 carrier aircraft to begin its first “tail-cone off” unpowered flight over desert and mountains of Southern California. A T-38 chase plane follows in right background. Astronauts Joe H. Engle, and Richard H. Truly controlled the Orbiter on its two-minute, 34-second unpowered mission on this the fourth of five Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) with free flight phases, from Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC).

NASA Photo ID: S77-28963 File Name: 10076617.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” soars above Edwards Air Force Base Description: Facilities on a part of the huge Edwards Air Force Base in the desertland of Southern California form the backdrop for the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” as it heads for a landing during the fourth Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flight. Note that the tail cone is removed from the Enterprise for this flight, which featured a two-minute, 34 second unpowered phase after the Orbiter separated from NASA 905, a 747 carrier aircraft. Crewmen for this flight were Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander; and Richard H. Truly, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28965 File Name: 10076618.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” heads for landing at Edwards AFB Description: The Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” heads towards landing at Edwards Air Force Base following a two-minute, 34-second unpowered phase of the fourth Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flight on October 12, 1977. In preparation for conditions of actual Space Shuttle flights, this mission marked the first one in which the Orbiter went up minus tail cone. Two chase planes are seen following the craft on its approach. Inside the Enterprise were Astronauts Joe H. Engle, flight commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28966 File Name: 10076619.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” heads for landing at Edwards AFB Description: The Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” heads towards landing at Edwards Air Force Base following a two-minute, 34-second unpowered phase of the fourth Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flight on October 12, 1977. In preparation for conditions of actual Space Shuttle flights, this mission marked the first one in which the Orbiter went up minus tail cone. Two chase planes are seen following the craft on its approach. Inside the Enterprise were Astronauts Joe H. Engle, flight commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28930 File Name: 10076620.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” lands at Edwards AFB Description: The rear wheels of the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 raise desert sand on the landing strip at Edwards Air Force Base as the “Enterprise” completes the fourth of five scheduled Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flights. This mission marked the first occasion of the orbiter to fly minus tail cone. The unpowered phase, with Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot, controlling the Enterprise, took two-minutes and 34 seconds. One of the T-38 chase planes that remained with the Shuttle craft for the mission’s duration is partially visible at right.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28962 File Name: 10076621.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” parked on runway at Edwards AFB Description: The Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” is parked on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base following completion of a successful “tail cone off” free flight on October 12, 1977. This was the first Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flight without the tail cone but the fourth of five scheduled manned unpowered missions at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC). The two Orbiter 101 crewmen are Astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot.

NASA Photo ID: S77-28964 File Name: 10076622.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/12/77

Title: Astronauts Engle and Truly egress Shuttle Orbiter 101 after fourth ALT Description: Astronauts Joe H. Engle, left, commander and Richard H. Truly, pilot, egress the Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” following completion of the fourth Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flight at Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) in Southern California. The landed the craft in the desert at Edwards Air Force Base following a two-minute, 34-second unpowered mission.

NASA Photo ID: S77-30025 File Name: 10076623.jpg Film Type: 4×5 Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Astronauts Haise and Fullerton in cockpit of Orbiter 101 prior to fifth ALT Description: Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commander, left, and C. Gordon Fullerton in the cockpit of the Space shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” prior to the fifth and final free flight in the Approach and Landing Test (ALT) series, from Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC).

NASA Photo ID: S77-30024 File Name: 10076624.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” rides “piggy-back” atop NASA 747 carrier Description: The Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” sits in a piggyback configuration atop NASA 905, a 747 carrier aircraft, prior to takeoff on the fifth and final Approach and Landing Test (ALT) free flight mission from Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC). Astronauts Fred W. Haise, Jr., commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, later controlled the Orbiter during its two-mintue, one-second free flight and its landing – the first on a hard surface in the ALT series – at Edwards Air Force Base.

NASA Photo ID: S77-30022 File Name: 10076625.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” separates from NASA 747 carrier Description: This photograph made from a chase plane captures the precise moment of separation of the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” from the NASA 905 aircraft, a 747 carrier aircraft. With Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commander, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, controlling the Enterprise, the unpowered flight lasted two minutes and one second before coming to a landing on a hard surface runway, completing the Approach and Landing Test (ALT) series. The mission marked the first hard-surface landing in the ALT series, the second tail cone off flight and the fifth free-flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-30023 File Name: 10076626.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” glides toward first hard surface landing Description: Having separated from the NASA 905, a 747 carrier aircraft, the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” glides toward its first hard surface landing at Edwards Air Force Base. The flight is the fifth and final free flight in the 13-flight Approach and Landing Test (ALT) program. Five captive/inert and three captive/active missions preceded the free flight series. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commandor, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, controlled the Orbiter during its two-minute, one-second unpowered phase.

NASA Photo ID: S77-30393 File Name: 10076627.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” glides toward first hard surface landing Description: Having separated from the NASA 905, a 747 carrier aircraft, the Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” glides toward its first hard surface landing at Edwards Air Force Base. The flight is the fifth and final free flight in the 13-flight Approach and Landing Test (ALT) program. Five captive/inert and three captive/active missions preceded the free flight series. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commandor, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, controlled the Orbiter during its two-minute, one-second unpowered phase. This photograph was taken from one of the T-38 chase planes that followed the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-30392 File Name: 10076628.jpg Film Type: 120mm Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” moments from first hard surface landing Description: The Space Shuttle Orbiter 101 “Enterprise” is just a few feet away from landing on a hard surface runway at Edwards Air Force Base to complete the current Approach and Landing Test (ALT) series of free flights. This flight marked the first occasion to land the Orbiter on a conventional runway, all other flights landed on dry lake beds at Edwards. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commandor, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, controlled the Orbiter during its two-minute, one-second unpowered phase. This photograph was taken from one of the T-38 chase planes that followed the flight.

NASA Photo ID: S77-30017 File Name: 10076629.jpg Film Type: 4×5 BW Date Taken: 10/26/77

Title: Orbiter “Enterprise” moments from first hard surface landing Description: A ground level view of the Space Shuttle Orbiter just prior to landing on a runway at Edwards Air Force Base. Orbiter 101, the “Enterprise” was making its last landing of 13 Approach and Landing Test (ALT) missions (five captive/inert or unmanned flights atop the 747; three captive/active or manned flights atop the 747; and five free flights). This mission marked the first occasion for the “Enterprise” to make a hard surface landing. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., commandor, and C. Gordon Fullerton, pilot, controlled the Orbiter during its two-minute, one-second unpowered phase.