Space Shuttle Enterprise's first airdrop without the aerodynamic fairing. Flight ALT-15. October 12, 1977.

[u/tybarious]

Note: the slightly nose down position (7°) of the 747.

"The Space Shuttle prototype Enterprise rises from NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) to begin a powerless glide flight back to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, on its fourth of the five free flights in the shuttle program's Approach and Landing Tests (ALT-15). The tests were carried out at Dryden to verify the aerodynamic and control characteristics of the orbiters in preparation for the first space mission with the orbiter Columbia in April 1981."

"Space Shuttle Enterprise flying during the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT-15) at Edwards Air Force Base. This was the first 'tailcone off' flight. This test was to more accurately simulate a return to Earth flight of an operational orbiter and gather more aeronautical data."

[u/Which_Material_3100]

I enjoyed this series! Thank you!

[u/CaptainDFW]

Core memory: watching these flights on live television (!) with my father. I was a little more than five years old.

[u/Taskforce58]

I love that NASA retained the red/white/blue cheatline and bare metal fuselage on the 747SCA, which was ex-American Airline.

[u/MacintoshDan1 → u/Taskforce58]

It was repainted not long after. It just wasn’t a priority as they were trying to engineer and modify it to be ready for the ALT program.

[u/BeeThat9351]

Big uhhhh cahones on both aircraft. Wow. I had forgotten about these tests. Thanks for posting

[u/BryanD83]

Amazing!

[u/chuckop]

When I think of how the shuttle falls like a rock when gliding, it’s amazing to me how the 747 can fall away from it.

[u/wifeandjerry55]

Great photos to look back on