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Author
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Topic: Shuttle ALT flights: crew ingress and egress
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Paul78zephyr
Member Posts: 733
From: Hudson, MA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 03-06-2017 09:02 PM
  
Does anyone know of any video available on the internet that shows space shuttle crew ingress and egress on the Approach and Landing Test (ALT) captive-active flights (3) or crew ingress on free flights (5)? |
OV-105
Member Posts: 869
From: Ridgecrest, CA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 03-07-2017 03:15 AM
I believe that the crew entered Enterprise from a white room on the Mate-Demate Device. I do remember seeing a photo where after one of the captive-active flights, the final one because the landing gear was down, they got the crew out with the Edwards Fire Department's Snorkel Truck Company. |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2181
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 03-07-2017 12:40 PM
I think I read that they entered the craft using a cherry picker. |
Paul78zephyr
Member Posts: 733
From: Hudson, MA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 03-07-2017 01:00 PM
I believe that to be correct: The flight crews of the space shuttle prototype Enterprise and NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft gathered in front of the piggyback pair following the final captive-carry flight in the shuttle Approach and Landing Tests on July 26, 1977. The landing gear of Enterprise was lowered during the final portion of that captive-carry flight to verify that it functioned properly. Five free-flight tests of Enterprise would follow over the next three months, validating the shuttle's ability to make a precise unpowered runway landing upon its return from space.The SCA crew is in the yellow suits and the Enterprise crew in the blue suits. From left, they are SCA pilot-in-command Fitz Fulton, Enterprise pilot-in-command Gordon Fullerton, SCA flight engineer Vic Horton, Enterprise pilot (and Apollo 13 veteran) Fred Haise, SCA flight engineer Vincent Alvarez, and SCA co-pilot Tom McMurtry. I'm surprised the caption states Fullerton as commander as I though Haise had seniority and was commander. |
carmelo
Member Posts: 1069
From: Messina, Sicilia, Italia
Registered: Jun 2004
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posted 03-07-2017 08:04 PM
Haise was the Commander. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 1025
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 03-18-2017 11:20 AM
There is an image of Haise and Fullerton entering Enterprise from a cherry picker type crane on pg. 14 of the June 27, 1977 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3616
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 08-15-2021 06:52 PM
The Enterprise landing gear was lowered during the SCA rollout after the third captive-active landing.The three captive-active ALT flights were numbered 1A, 1 and 3 as mentioned in the ALT final report: In the captive-active test phase, the orbiter was active and manned while mated to the carrier aircraft. Separation of the orbiter from the carrier aircraft was neither planned nor executed, although provisions were made for separation to be performed in an emergency situation. The original plan for this phase was to conduct five flights; however, the program was restructured upon completion of the captive-inert flights. Flight 2 was deleted by adding the test requirements to those of flight 1. A flight was added to precede flight 1 with test conditions below the hardware structural limit speed envelope because of concern that a hardover orbiter control surface was possible. This flight was designated flight 1A. Flights 4 and 5 were to be flown only if there were problems on prior flights that warranted additional flights. The captive-active flights were conducted to verify the separation profile; verify the integrated structure, aerodynamics, and flight control system; verify orbiter integrated system operations; and refine and finalize procedures in preparation for free flight tests. |
Jim Behling
Member Posts: 1689
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010
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posted 08-16-2021 09:55 AM
Only on the last captive flight was the cherry picker used. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3532
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 08-22-2021 03:43 AM
The ALT crew entered the vehicle while the SCA-Enterprise was still in the MDD. Photo shows Haise and Fullerton on September 23, 1977. The cherry-picker was used for egress only after the three captive-active flights. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3616
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 09-11-2021 12:32 AM
The landing gear of Enterprise was lowered during the final portion of that captive-carry flight to verify that it functioned properly. That was the third and final captive-active flight on July 26, 1977.The Enterprise landing gear may have been lowered even earlier atop the 747. The caption for this photo indicates that the landing gear was lowered to check the clearance after the second captive-active flight, which was on June 28, 1977. The raised cherry picker can be seen parked behind the 747 wing. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3532
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 10-03-2021 03:57 AM
That date is wrong. The landing gear of Enterprise was deployed during the 747 landing rollout following the third captive-active flight on July 26, 1977. See Aviation Week for August 1, 1977. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3616
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 10-21-2021 11:07 AM
From Astronautics and Aeronautics 1977 on page 122: June 28: NASA announced that the second manned inert flight of the Shuttle orbiter Enterprise atop its Boeing 747 carrier, with astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly at the controls, was so successful that the agency had canceled a fourth test and would limit the captive flights to three. The third flight would be put off until July 28 to allow replacement of main landing-gear actuators and a leaky power unit, and installation of l00gal hydraulic reservoir tanks. The orbiter would remain mated to the 747 during the work. |
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