Jarrell.FSOEP@PCO-MULTICS@sri-unix (06/10/82)
As I understand it, there are currently 4 shuttles. The Columbia, launching this month, the challenger, launching in January, the discovery, launching some time after they finish putting it together, and the Enterprise, which is being refitted after being used as the atmospheric testing body. Does anyone know what timeslot they prject for the enterprise flying? before Discovery? How close is it to completion?
sjb (06/10/82)
The Enterprise is the prototype shuttle. It was used for drop testing during the late 70's to test the shuttle's aerodynamic performance as it falls like a rock towards landing. I don't know if they ever plan to actually launch it or not, but I don't think so, since there are now so many references to a 'fifth shuttle' which would include the four now planned (Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, and Atlantis) and seemingly forget about Enterprise. The Challenger's roll out of its hangar is scheduled for late this month, hopefully to coincide with the landing of STS-4, now scheduled for 4 July. The Discovery has just about begun assembly and will be delivered in December, 1983. Parts for Atlantis are now being scrounged, and it will be delivered in December, 1984.
henry (06/11/82)
Last I heard, the Enterprise is not considered as a flyable shuttle any more. Basically, it's overweight and below flight standards in other minor ways. This is why the static test prototype, orbiter 099, is being refurbished to become a real orbiter. Originally the Enterprise was to be the second orbiter and the static-test article was never to be a complete orbiter. Now the Enterprise's official fate is to be cannibalized for parts, I think. Mind you, if NASA suddenly needs another orbiter badly (if one of the existing ones crashes, say) after the production line is closed, it might be Real Handy to have this almost-orbiter sitting in storage...