lws@hou2d.UUCP (L.SAMOCHA) (09/11/85)
I was under the impression that the Enterprise Shuttle was a mock-up used several years ago for show and was not operational. There is an ad being run in some magazines this month for the Air Force that show the Enterprise in what appears to be the Vertical Assembly Building being prepared to launch. Anyone see this ad? Is it a mock up for the AF or is there an Enterprise that will be launched? LWS hou2d!lws
john@gcc-bill.ARPA (John Allred) (09/12/85)
[munch, munch] According to Aviation Week and Space Technology, Enterprise is currently being used at Vandenberg to see if the USAF's "VAB" and launch pad actually work. -- John Allred General Computer Company uucp: seismo!harvard!gcc-bill!john
frodo@wcom.UUCP (Jim Scardelis) (09/12/85)
> I was under the impression that the Enterprise Shuttle > was a mock-up used several years ago for show > and was not operational. The Enterprise is a fully-functional prototype shuttle. It was not intended for launch into space, instead being used for tests, such as the test of the 747 carrier plane. -- Jim Scardelis SA, wcom Usenet: {vax135|ihnp4}!timeinc!wcom!frodo #include <favorite disclaimer>
henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (09/12/85)
The Enterprise will not be launched; it is being used as a test article
to check that everything at the Edwards facility is set up right for
real orbiters. That sort of testing has been its major role of late.
It started out doing the landing tests some years ago. The original
intent was to refurbish it for space use, but the eventual decision was
that it was too overweight and too far behind the "production" standard
(which had evolved since it was built) for this to be worthwhile.
--
Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henryron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (09/13/85)
> I was under the impression that the Enterprise Shuttle > was a mock-up used several years ago for show > and was not operational. > It is operational, it's not very good at going up though. It comes down just fine. > There is an ad being run in some magazines > this month for the Air Force that show the Enterprise > in what appears to be the Vertical Assembly Building > being prepared to launch. > Anyone see this ad? As I recall, they sent it to the Blue shuttle launch facility to check out the tolerances in all the pads, etc... to make sure the real shuttles would fit.
ewa@sdcc3.UUCP (Eric Anderson) (09/13/85)
In article <682@hou2d.UUCP> lws@hou2d.UUCP (L.SAMOCHA) writes: >I was under the impression that the Enterprise Shuttle >was a mock-up used several years ago for show >and was not operational. > >There is an ad being run in some magazines >this month for the Air Force that show the Enterprise >in what appears to be the Vertical Assembly Building >being prepared to launch. It was used to determine if all the connecters and such in the V.A.B. were properly placed and functional. As far as I know, it is a complete shuttle with every part, used as a prototype for compatability tests, etc. I think they dropped it from a 747 for landing tests several times. If it is real and complete I'd like to see them launch it and recover some of the cost. The Atlantis will be the first launch from that site, I believe. Eric Anderson (waiting for MY turn) ihnp4!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcc3!ewa UC San Diego
henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (09/18/85)
> The Enterprise will not be launched; it is being used as a test article > to check that everything at the Edwards facility is set up right... Many a slip twixt the brain and the keyboard... That should, of course, have been "Vandenberg", not "Edwards". How embarrassing. -- Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry