Starship Enterprise - National Air and Space Museum
by Darin Volpe
Title
Starship Enterprise - National Air and Space Museum
Artist
Darin Volpe
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Built in 1974, the Space Shuttle Enterprise was the first orbiter of the Space Shuttle program. It was not capable of space travel, built without engines or a heat shield, but rather to perform atmospheric test flights after being launched from a Boeing 747. The original intent was for it to be refitted and become the the second orbiter, but design changes made that impractical. It was once again considered as an orbital vehicle after the loss of Challenger, but again it was deemed impractical and Endeavour was built using existing parts instead. In 2003 it was placed on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (where this photo was made,) and moved to the Intrepid Air & Space Museum in New York City in when the Discovery was retired and moved to the Smithsonian. It was originally to be the Constitution, but a letter writing campaign by Star Trek fans convinced President Gerald Ford and NASA to name it after the the Starship Enterprise.
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, located at Washington Dulles Airport just outside Washington DC. The center is large enough to house items that are unable to fit inside the National Air and Space Museum's building on the National Mall in Washington DC.
Uploaded
September 10th, 2016
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