12th August 1977: Space Shuttle Enterprise completes the first free flight of the Space Shuttle programme

**Scott Allsop** (0:00)
On the 12th August 1977, Space Shuttle Enterprise completed the first free flight of the Space Shuttle program at Edwards Air Force Base. Welcome to HistoryPod.
Following the conclusion of the Apollo moon program, NASA turned its efforts to the development of a reusable spacecraft to reduce the cost of access to space by allowing orbiters to be launched repeatedly rather than discarded after a single mission. Enterprise, which was named following a public campaign inspired by the television series Star Trek, was constructed as a test vehicle to be used for atmospheric trials. Enterprise first underwent a series of captive flights while attached to the shuttle carrier aircraft to evaluate handling characteristics and aerodynamic performance. Engineers then progressed to release tests in which the orbiter would separate from the aircraft at altitude before gliding to the runway under the control of its crew. These trials were intended to confirm that astronauts could land the shuttle without powered flight, as all Space Shuttle landings would rely entirely on gliding after re-entry.
On the 12th of August 1977, astronauts Fred Hayes and Gordon Fullerton piloted Enterprise during the first free flight of the Space Shuttle programme. After separation from the carrier aircraft, they completed a controlled descent and precise landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Data confirmed earlier aerodynamic predictions and provided engineers with valuable information for the construction and operation of the orbital shuttle fleet. The successful tests led NASA to proceed with the operational orbiters, beginning with Space Shuttle Columbia. Although Enterprise itself never entered orbit, it played a crucial role in validating the shuttle's flight characteristics and landing procedures.