Orbiter “Enterprise” – Soars Above the NASA 747 Carrier – Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC), CA

S77-27512 (12 Aug 1977) --- The Shuttle Orbiter 101 "Enterprise" soars above the NASA 747 carrier aircraft only seconds after separating during the first free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALTs) conducted on August 12, 1977 at Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. Astronauts Fred W. Haise Jr., and C. Gordon Fullerton were the crew of the "Enterprise." The ALT free flights are designed to verify Orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfying prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode.