Shuttle Carrier Aircraft - Enterprise First Test FlightLogic Earth
Published on Jan 24, 2017
NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), has come a long way since it first took to the air in the 1970s as an American Airlines passenger jumbo jet.
Purchased by NASA from the airline in 1974 for $15,601,000 NASA 905 was modified by Boeing to first carry the prototype Enterprise for approach and landing tests and then later to ferry the space-worthy orbiters on transcontinental flights between their landing and launch sites.
On 26 July 1972, NASA officially awarded the contract for construction for its very first Space Shuttle orbiter to Rockwell International (now Boeing).
On 18 June 1977, a test-pilot crew boarded Enterprise at the MDD and rode in her crew module for the duration of the first Captive-Active Flight of the Space Shuttle Enterprise/SCA mated pair.
For this first Captive-Active Flight, Enterprise shuttle plane remained firmly attached to the SCA as her test-pilot crew operated her Flight Control Systems.
Following this highly successful first crewed and powered flight of Enterprise (and any Space Shuttle orbiter), two more crewed Captive-Active Flights were conducted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhwSbeiRADA
