Posts: 4057
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 04-12-2026 08:38 PM               

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As a young space shuttle enthusiast and reporter during the mid-1970's, I had an opportunity to view up-close a special event for one of the earliest related space shuttle activities. That was on May 21, 1976, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center when I was alongside the new Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), a 15,000-foot long runway for the new space shuttle orbiter still in construction. The three-mile runway was just over 2 miles NW of the huge Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).

A twin engine Beechcraft airplane made the very first official airplane landing on the SLF. Ex-Navy pilot and KSC Director Lee R. Scherer performed two touch-and-go approaches before landing on the newly built, while not completely finished, runway to test its concrete surface and the landing strip's integrity for the shuttle program. Construction of the runway started in July 1974 and was certified by FAA as Runway X-68 two years later.

The shuttle-related covers are in commemoration of that special event at Kennedy. The top-left cover, produced by our local KSC Philatelic Society, was actually flown aboard the Beechcraft and signed by Scheer and his co-pilot. This cover is no. 3 of only 10 flown on NASA-6, the official name of the aircraft.

There was a second flight flown that same day piloted by Miles Ross, the Deputy KSC Director, as another cover depicts at top-right. Note that all four covers contain the autograph of NASA-6's co-pilot, however, I cannot make out his name. During my reporting of the pioneering flight 50 years ago next month, my notes were not located along with official news releases that day.

His name appears to be, "Marvin H. [unknown]." If anyone out there collecting shuttle covers and autographs can help with his name, it would be much appreciated in an effort for a better recording of this early flight event.

Posts: 2190
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003

Posts: 4057
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

Posts: 2190
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003

Posts: 4057
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

Posts: 1347
From: Shady Side, Md
Registered: Sep 2004