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ENTERPRISE

sure you know the ship from the same American TV series of the Star Trek universe. But you know the history of the Space Shuttle same name, which was named after the show?

Let us take a look at this exciting part of the cast soon to a close history of American space shuttles.

The official name of the very first orbiter, the first real reusable spacecraft of the USA was, OV-101 and served as a prototype for the then over the years in service are Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102, 12/04/1981), CHALLENGER (OV-099, 04/04/1983), DISCOVERY (OV-103, 08/30/1984) ATLANTIS (OV-104, 03/10/1985) and ATLANTIS (replacement for the Challenger accident, OV-105, 05/05/1992). create

The basic idea of a reusable transportation system for the space, there are around since the mid-60s of the last century, when it became clear that one would push the same pace of manned space travel, the cost increase the disposable rocket out of hand would. In 1969, before the first manned moon landing, the four largest aerospace companies in the USA (Lockheed, Grumman, McDonnell Douglas and asked North American Rockwell) after a first NASA study to develop concepts and submitted. Soon proved to be the public mood in the U.S. in the late 60s, in particular by the looming defeat in the Vietnam War, a hindrance. After the initial success with APOLLO 11 and APOLLO 12 lost interest quickly in the manned moon landings and the space lost a total lack of credibility and interest, so that the project at this time more than once stood before the off. The budget cuts, the abolition of the Apollo missions No 18 to 20 led, were of little help for the ambitious project.

until 1971 improved the situation when the U.S. military have interests in a reusable space vehicle, testified that wanted to have a significantly larger payload bay, especially heavy and heavy spy satellites into space. This made many changes to the plans required as landing bases to be increased significantly and the space shuttle should be suitable in principle for polar orbiting orbits (what it was but never used). And: The space shuttle should be suitable for short orbits the earth in which only briefly exposed to a satellite. The higher payload requirements also require fundamental changes to the flight characteristics of the space shuttle, such as large delta wing for the glide after the re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Not all concepts that have been filed, but could meet the conditions. The biggest problem was usually the starting weight. It came on 15 March 1972 to a final agreement on a three-part system consisting of a small space shuttle (could not absorb more than 20 people, as originally planned), a main tank and two side to be attached solid rocket boosters, whereby a wholly owned reusability was given no more though. Under the then prevailing conditions, this variant also appeared as the most likely to be realized.

On 9 August 1972 North American Rockwell was awarded to the orbiter, Morton Thiokol for the booster and Martin Marietta for the external tank. For a total of 2.6 billion dollars through 1978 should the new shuttle developed transportation system (STS) and the first test flights are conducted. In 1973, it was the first concrete plans and every year after 1979 should start at a price of 50 shuttles each 10.5 million U.S. dollars. It was in 1977 24 million Dollar today, the price is around. $ 500 million per mission.

addition to technical problems, resulting in new projects always had to be corrected already sensitive to bottom in the development of the annual number of starts. The development costs rose and rose and were in 1978, the planned first flight, already at 12 billion U.S. dollars. This year was also crucial for the continuation of the program, because given the huge cost, one was in Congress and in parts of NASA to consider that matter, whether or not you get out of the program in whole or in part should. And again it was the U.S. Air Force, which built up enough pressure to run the program to be continuing. Finally, they had already developed some spy satellites, which now only with the new, unfinished, shuttle could be transported into space.

in 1975 the first non-space-capable, space shuttle completed (without main engine and heat shield), which was named Enterprise to the eponymous TV series. On 12 September 1976 was given the public the OV-101 (OV = Orbiter Vehicle) to see the 200th Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution. Originally, it was so hot CONSTITUTION, up thousands of fans of the TV series Star Trek intervened with the U.S. President Gerald Ford to give in eventually.

At 31 January 1977 the ENTERPRISE that was intended for atmospheric tests, by a modified Boeing 747 (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) from Palmdale, where they had assembled it, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base flew with which one then also the new transport system that has been transferred to the present day to test. This was not the only test that was done. Then followed extensive review (ALT = Approach and Landing Test), with a total of 8 times ENTERPRISE decoupled from Boeing was and (with covered rear cover) landed.

On 12 August 1977 then took place the first true free flight, when the Enterprise was notched in 9.1 km altitude, and autonomously return without crew (but by remote control) to the runway had to.

Meanwhile made the main engines of the shuttle a lot of problems. There were explosions at test runs, repeatedly malfunctions, etc. In 1979, when they had performed 700 different tests now, could previously known problems to be solved.

After completion of the ALT program ENTERPRISE was the Marshall Space Flight Center, various vibration tests carried out on 10 April 1979 she came to the Kennedy Spaceport in Florida. In the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building), she was grouped together with the missing components and on launch pad 39A tested again intense. The results have fed directly into the preparations for the first shuttle mission (STS-1) with the Columbia.

On 16 August she was promoted back to Palmdale, were taken from parts, processed and used in the other space shuttles right on 6 December 1981 came the ENTERPRISE again to Edwards Air Force Base. After the first flight of Columbia ENTERPRISE as a second shuttle should be equipped with the new modifications of the first space shuttle and actually fly into space. We have chosen not to because the tags would become too large. It was first time out of service charge and thereafter issued in different countries (eg Paris, Cologne and New Orleans). In November 1984 she was taken to Vandenberg Air Force Base, where it was specifically a launching pad for military missions were built. Here they were assembled together with external tank and boosters and used them on for further testing, 25 May 1985 she came back to Edwards Air Force Base. The launch pad at Vandenberg was after the Challenger disaster never used again, so that the Enterprise was the only space shuttle that was ever on the ramp SLC-6 . On 18 November 1985 came the ENTERPRISE to Washington DC where it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution and now really put out of service.

After the crash of the space shuttle Challenger on 28 January 1986 was initially considered to reactivate the Enterprise to use as a replacement for the Challenger, but this was rejected immediately, as was provided with the new space shuttle Endeavour a replacement. Incidentally, this uses a lot of parts that were in the assembly of the Discovery and Atlantis left over to cover the costs to decrease.

After the crash of the Columbia was remembered again the Enterprise and bombards the left delta wing with foam (such as the orbiter is damaged). The tests confirmed the initial assumptions, that a foam part could actually penetrate the outer skin of the wing.

is today the Enterprise, after it had long been in a hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport to be stored, exhibited in the finished Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum s .

stands for the future the ENTERPRISE, but a renewed before transport: The museum will be issued in place of Enterprise after the shuttle program, the DISCOEVRY. It will then be transferred to another museum and is back to piggyback on the Boeing 747 transports. To which, but it is still unclear. In any case, it is still so well preserved that further transport is not handicapped. One can therefore continue to be excited to see where it is the mother of all shuttles is devious one day.