Approach and Landing Tests

Approach and Landing Tests

Enterprise separates from the SCA on its first solo flight as part of ALT, August 12, 1977

(L-R) C. Gordon Fullerton, Fred Haise, Joe Engle and Richard Truly

The Approach and Landing Tests were a series of sixteen taxi and flight trials of the prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise that took place between February and October 1977 to test the vehicle's flight characteristics. Of the sixteen taxi-tests and flights, eleven saw Enterprise remain mated to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), while the final five had the shuttle jettisoned from the SCA, with the on-board crew flying and landing the spacecraft.