Video: 1977 Shuttle Enterprise First Glide Test & Landing. Wow.
Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 04:50PM It was August 12, 1977 when the Space Shuttle Enterprise made the first free flight after being carried to about 27.000 feet on the back of a modified 747. The television coverage footage here is an awesome way to watch it how it happened, live for all to see. It's an amazing way to experience both the dawn of a whole new era in spaceflight, and to see old school broadcasting.
If you don't have the time to soak it all in realtime, jump up to about 4:30 for the actual separation. Looking back, it's great to see what success story this first flight was. It was a great time to be alive... I remember that for sure!
This video ends while on the descent. To see the rest of the approach and the touchdown, watch the video below. Touchdown is at 2:39.
I must say, my emotions have been thoroughly stirred.
Reader Comments (5)
I miss being a kid in the 70s. When the first Columbia mission returned from space in 1981 we all went to the assembly area of our school to watch it land. Thanks for the memories. And, I miss those amazing checkered pants. I know I had a favorite pair. :)
~J~
JohnCFord- I was 16 in 1977 and had soloed a Citabria early in the year and made my first skydive a month before this first Enterprise flight... wow, was that ever a good time in my life! Memories indeed - glad you enjoyed : )
Thanks for this video! I actually had the priveledge of going inside of the engine compartment of the Enterprise while it was being built in Willmington, Californina. A friend was an engineer on the project and was allowed to give tours of it.
The video brings back some good memories of that time and when that flight happened.
Awesome video. This about 11 years before I was born, so I wasn't around to get to see all of this stuff first hand.
This brings back memories, obviously I never saw the launch from the outside that day but really enjoyed the count down on board when several of us Boeing flight test engineers were on stand by to hit the "Panic" buttons to release the lock mechanisms if the failed to unlock by the computer on board.