#alt-9

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Enterprise mated to 747 SCA #905 prior to her second manned-captive flight.

Date: June 23, 1977

Cliff Steenhoff's collection

NASA ID: EC77-7553

[lonestarflight]

ALT-9 flight crew standing on a cherry picker prior to entry into Space Shuttle Enterprise. This was the first of three captive-active flights, which means the shuttle was manned during this phase.

"The captive-active flights were intended to determine the optimum profile required for Enterprise to separate from the SCA during the orbiter's free-flights. These were also intended to refine and test the orbiter crew procedures and to ensure the operational readiness of the orbiter's systems. For these three flights, although Enterprise remained mated to the SCA, it was powered and crewed."

-information from Wikipedia: link

Date: June 18, 1977

NASA ID: EC77-7581

[lonestarflight]

"The NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) lifts off the runway at Edwards AFB, California carrying the Space Shuttle Enterprise on its back."

Date: June 18, 1977

NARA: DF-ST-99-05367

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Enterprise on top of the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, NASA 905, as they land at the Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California following the first captive-active flight of the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT-9).

Commemorative stamp from Rockwell International

Date: June 18, 1977

NASA ID: ECN 6828, C-1977-2303

source

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Enterprise rides piggyback atop the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, NASA 905, flies over the desert and mountains of southern California during the first captive-active flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT-9) from Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, California.

Date: June 18, 1977

NASA ID: S77-26776, C-1977-2305, EC77-7584, C-1977-2304, C-1977-2306

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Enterprise, riding piggy back on the 747 SCA, landing from Edwards Air Force Base following the first manned flight of the Orbiter. Aboard Enterprise are Astronauts Fred C. Haise and Charles G. Fullerton.

Date: June 18, 1977

517285516

[lonestarflight]

Space Shuttle Enterprise in the Mate-Demate Device (MDD) at Edwards Air Force Base, prior to mating to 747 for ALT-9, Captive-active flight #1A manned-captive flight.

"HQ NASA News Release No. 77-116 stated on June 8, 1977:

“'The first manned test flight of the Space Shuttle orbiter has been rescheduled from June 9 to no earlier than June 16, 1977, at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The exact date is dependent upon successful completion of orbiter ground tests currently underway at Dryden. This flight begins the second phase of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests, a program designed to verify the aerodynamics and flight control characteristics of the orbiter while still attached to the 747 carrier aircraft.

The postponement is due to the malfunction of equipment associated with the shuttle orbiter’s auxiliary power system. A leak developed in a fuel pump in one of the three Auxiliary Power Units causing a small amount of APU fuel (hydrazine) to vent overboard. This problem in the APU 2 developed during a mission run of the orbiter APU system, one of the final tests scheduled before the first manned flight. APU 2 will be replaced before another mission run is scheduled at Dryden. This work is expected to take between four and seven days.'”

source

Date: June 10-14, 1977

Shared by Karl Dodenhoff on the "ENTERPRISE Early Shuttle Development" Facebook group page.

NASA ID: EC77-7504, EC77-7416, EC77-7415, EC77-7471, EC77-7421, EC77-7420, EC77-7437, EC77-7441, EC77-7466, EC77-7467, EC77-7459

[lonestarflight]

Enterprise and 747 in the Mate-Demate Device at Edwards Air Force Base.

"Deke Slayton set a date of June 17, but that day brought three new problems: failure of an Inertial Measurement Unit, trouble with two of the four primary flight control computers, and a fault with the ejection seats. These were fixed the following day, June 18, 1977, allowing Haise and Fullerton to board the orbiter as it rested atop its carrier. Most of Enterprise’s onboard systems were operating, including two of three APUs and ammonia boilers in an active thermal control system."

Date: June 14-17, 1977

NARA: 12042751

source