NASA News

National Aeronautics and

Space Ad ministration
Washington. D C 20546
AC 202 755-8370

For Release IMMEDIATE

Press Kit Project SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER

CAPTIVE MANNED T E S T
RELEASE NO: 77-117 FLIGHT S E R I E S

Mailed:
June 10, 1 9 7 7

1
C N e w
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Washington D C 20546
AC 202 755-8370

Fc~rRelease
David Garrett
H e a d q u a r t e r s , Washington, D.C. IMMEDIATE
(Phone: 202/755-3090)

Robert Gordon
Johnson Space C e n t e r , Houston, Tex.
(Phone: 713/483-5111)

Ralph B. J a c k s o n
Dryden F l i g h t R e s e a r c h C e n t e r , Edwards, C a l i f .
(Phone: 805/258-8311)

RELEASE NO: 77-117

SPACE SHUTTLE CAPTIVE MANNED TEST FLIGHT SERIES TO B E G I N

The f i r s t manned t e s t f l i g h t s of t h e S p a c e S h u t t l e

O r b i t e r " E n t e r p r i s e " a r e s c h e d u l e d t o b e g i n a t NASA's Dryden

F l i g h t R e s e a r c h C e n t e r , Edwards, C a l i f . , no e a r l i e r t h a n

June 1 6 , 1977. Four f l i g h t s are p l a n n e d w i t h t h e O r b i t e r

a t t a c h e d t o b u t n o t released from i t s Boeing 747 c a r r i e r

aircraft.

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Mailed:
June 10, 1977
 -2-

NASA a s t r o n a u t s w i l l be a t t h e c o n t r o l s o f t h e

E n t e r p r i s e d u r i n g t h e s e c a p t i v e f l i g h t s , t h e second f l i g h t
p h a s e o f t h e S h u t t l e Approach and Landing T e s t s (ALT)

(NASA Release 7 7 - 1 6 ) . The t h i r d p h a s e o f t h e program, which

c a l l s f o r t h e O r b i t e r t o be r e l e a s e d f r o m t h e Boeing 7 4 7
carrier a i r c r a f t , w i l l f o l l o w s u c c e s s f u l completion of t h i s

f l i g h t series.

A s t r o n a u t s F r e d W. Haise and C h a r l e s G. F u l l e r t o n w i l l

be t h e f i r s t O r b i t e r crew f o r t h e f i r s t and t h i r d f l i g h t s
and a s t r o n a u t s Joe H. Engle and R i c h a r d H. T r u l y are t h e

O r b i t e r crew members f o r f l i g h t s two and f o u r .

The O r b i t e r / 7 4 7 c o m b i n a t i o n l o g q e d m o r e t h a n 11.5
hours f l i g h t t i m e during f i v e c a p t i v e i n e r t f l i g h t s i n t h e

i n i t i a l p h a s e o f ALT which was s u c c e s s f u l l y c o n c l u d e d

March 2 , 1 9 7 7 . The O r b i t e r h a s been u n d e r g o i n g f i n a l v e r i -

f i c a t i o n t e s t i n g and s y s t e m s c h e c k o u t f o r t h e p a s t several

months a t Dryden C e n t e r .

A l l s u b s y s t e m s a b o a r d t h e O r b i t e r w i l l be a c t i v e

d u r i n g t h e s e c a p t i v e a c t i v e f l i g h t s designed t o v e r i f y

c r e w p r o c e d u r e s and s y s t e m s o p e r a t i o n s and d e t e r m i n e t h e
optimum s e p a r a t i o n p r o f i l e f o r t h e manned f r e e f l i g h t s .

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The c a p t i v e a c t i v e f l i g h t s and t h e i r p r i m a r y

o b j e c t i v e s are:

Flight 1 -- The 747 c a r r i e r a i r c r a f t (SCA) w i l l reach

an a l t i t u d e of 4 , 5 7 2 meters ( 1 5 , 0 0 0 f e e t ) f o r a series o f

f l u t t e r c h e c k s , c o n t r o l s t i c k s t e e r i n g c h e c k s , deployment

of t h e O r b i t e r s p e e d b r a k e s and T a c t i c a l A i r N a v i g a t i o n System

(TACAN) r a n g e and b e a r i n g t e s t s a t s p e e d s which w i l l n o t e x c e e d

333 k i l o m e t e r s p e r hour (180 k n o t s ) . The SCA w i l l fly t w o

t i m e s around t h e r a c e t r a c k d u r i n g t h e 49-minute t e s t f l i g h t .

Flight 2 -- The second manned O r b i t e r mated t e s t f l i g h t

w i l l go t o an a l t i t u d e o f 7 , 2 2 5 m (23,700 E t . ) and f l y t h r e e
t i m e s around t h e racetrack c o u r s e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6 7 by 2 4 km
( 4 0 by 1 4 m i l e s ) . The O r b i t e r c r e w w i l l p e r f o r m normal

o p e r a t i o n a l c h e c k s and s y s t e m s o p e r a t i o n s . During t h i s

f l i g h t , l o w s p e e d 417 km/hr ( 2 2 5 k t s ) and h i g h s p e e d 480

km/hr (260 k t s ) f l u t t e r checks w i l l be performed t o e v a l u a t e

O r b i t e r s t r u c t u r a l dynamic r e s p o n s e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . On

t h e second c i r c u i t around t h e racetrack, a p u s h o v e r and

s e p a r a t i o n t r a j e c t o r y w i l l be flown a t 480 km/hr (260 k t s )

t o c o l l e c t s e p a r a t i o n performance data. About f i v e m i n u t e s

l a t e r s p e e d brake e v a l u a t i o n w i l l be performed a t a n a l t i t u d e

of 6,614 m (21,700 f t . ) . The f l i g h t d u r a t i o n i s a b o u t one

hour.
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Flight 3 -- T h i s f l i g h t i s dedicated t o t h e v e r i f i -

c a t i o n of s e p a r a t i o n c o n d i t i o n s and t o l e r a n c e s , a s w e l l as
checks of t h e O r b i t e r ' s a v i o n i c s s y s t e m s and f u r t h e r pro-

c e d u r e s development. As i n t h e f i r s t f l i g h t , t h e 747 w i l l
f l y t h r e e t i m e s around t h e r a c e t r a c k t r a j e c t o r y . On t h e
inbound l e g o f t h e s e c c n d c i r c u i t a pushover and s e p a r a t i o n

t r a j e c t o r y w i l l b e flown a t 5 0 0 km/hr (270 k t s ) t o collect

s e p a r a t i o n performance d a t a . During f i n a l d e s c e n t , t h e
SCA/Orbiter mated c o n f i g u r a t i o n w i l l f l y through t h e auto-

matic l a n d i n g s y s t e m ( a u t o l a n d ) t r a j e c t o r y . Flight duration

w i l l be 6 2 m i n u t e s .

Flight 4 -- The f o u r t h f l i g h t , a d r e s s r e h e a r s a l f o r
t h e free f l i g h t s , i s d e d i c a t e d t o f u r t h e r r e f i n e m e n t and

d e m o n s t r a t i o n of s e p a r a t i o n p r o c e d u r e s ( s h o r t of a c t u a l

release). T h e f l i g h t i s s c h e d u l e d t o l a s t 55 m i n u t e s .

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 MATED PROFILE CAPTIVE ACTIVE 1
FLIGHT SEQUENCE GROUNDTRACK
I
I------
I
I
RACETRACK ITEM TIM[ ~LTITUOE RANGE EVENT
!lRCUIT (Miti) (FEET AGL) (r4b1) -+t+-t-
0 0 0 SCA TAKEOFF I
R25.

1 6 6 500 15
- ._
1 8 B 100 21
- 1 15
__-__
1 2 700 30 S P E f U BRAkL T E S T

1 5 :5 12 7 0 0 11 L S S flout 5 P O L W I i Y L t ' t ( k
- - ~-
12 7 0 0 32.5
~~

12 700 IS SCA B E G I N DESCENT

~-

y
0 0 HARPER
-. ____-- k-. L A K E
, '.J
7 q?..

NOTE. THEPE A R t 2 GO AROlJPlDS TO THE CA 1 A RACETRACK

. I
I
I
I
Ln
1

ALTITUDE P R O F I L E
KITE. ALTITUDES ARE ABOVE GROUND IEVfL (ACLI AND ARE
REFERENCED TO ORBITER C R W N D A I M POINT ON THf
14 OOO RUNWAY /
/
12 700
IL
10 Do0

ALTITUDE
iFEET ACLI

5000

I 10 20 30 40 '0
TIME (MINI
1 SAN BE WARDIN0
MOUNTAINS
 MATED PROFILE CAPTIVE ACTIVE 2
FLIGHT SEQUENCE GROUNDTRACK
RACETRACK
CIRCUIT
ITEM TIM
(MIN)
UTIlUuoE
(TEE1 AGL)
WG
C
(NU)
EVENT
I
0 0 SU TAKLOFF I
9 705 16 INTERSECT I U C E T R N K .
FLUTTER CWCK AT 225 KEAS I
1
@ I4
15 OM) 36 SPEED BRAKE TEST (225 KEAS)

SCA I E G I M SAT PUSHOVER AND

23 705 40 ACCELERATE TO 260 K U S ERRA NEVADA
)UNTA INS
21 105 26 FLUTTER O(ECK A T 260 KEAS I
2 35 21 7 0 5 16 PERFORW SPEED E W E EVALUATION

21 71s 22 START uIm BACK

TO 23 705 FT Atl

I Io 4a 23 7 0 5 32 START SEP MTA

RUN AT 260 KEAS
I I
h
3 49 18 ms 24 END SEP DATA RUN I
R 61 0 0 SCA TOUu(ooYN

MTE: THERE ME 3 90 Mowos TO TM U 1 RACETRACK.

ALTITUDE PROFILE
ALTlTUDfS ARf ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IAGLJ AN0 ARE
RfRRfNCEO TO ORBITER GROUND AIM POINT ON THf
RUNWAY
iI
I
\b
'\T RACETRACK DETAIL

moo0 - p k x q LANCAS T E R

\ COCKED Off
WE NORTH
BY 5'

I 1
F- '
I
I

~1500n DOWN
RUNWAY 171
 MATED PROFILE CAPTIVE ACTIVE 3
FLIGHT SEQUENCE GROUNDTRACK

WtTlUCK ITEM TI= UTINOE RMGE EVENT

ClRCUlT (PIIN) (FEET 1 6 ~ ) (I*()

111 0 0 0 SCA TAKEOFF

1 0 6 9 705 16 IllTElSECT W E T M C K

2
@ 22 21 705 9 I N - R I O ( T FCS CHECKS

+ 23 605 35 START SEP M T A R l N AT 210 KEAS

2 @ 13.6 13 205 26 EN0 SEP M T A RUN

2 (0 34 13 205 24 START cum TO 1 1 205 n AGL

3 I 7 205 21 RISHOVER FOR UJTOLMD TEST

2W 4 Em AUTOLAIII) TEST

I
4
ALTITUDE PROFILE I

NOTE: ALTITUDES ARE ABOVE GROUND C E M L UGL)

AND ARE REFERENCED TO ORBITER GROUND AIM
POINT ON THE RUNWAY

booo I-

ZDOOO

UcL’ 1 5 W J
ALTITUDE COCKED WF
1 DUC NORIH
10 ooo

5m
--
I I I I I
0 AIM POINT
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 SAN B E H A R D I N 0 lls00 F I DO\Vh(
TIME MlN) - MOUNTAINS RUWAI 171
I
.
 MATED PROFILE CAPTIVE ACTIVE 4
FLIGHT SEQUENCE GROUNDTRACK
ITEM TIME MTlTUM Iu116E EVENT
(RIN) (FEET AGL) (NU)

0 0 0 0 SCA TAKEOFF

16 405 10 TACAll WNGE L BEARING TESTS

@ 12

@ 13 16 905 12 INTERSECT RACETRACK

~-
SIERRANEVVADA
MOUNTAINS
@ 24 22 705 26 IN-FLIGHT FCS MECYS

28 23 605 16 REACJi MCT 200 FPH CEILING

36 24 705 29 SCA BEGIN SRT

@ 45 25 905 9.5 PUSWVER (PRACTICE S I P ) TEHACHAPl

I
Q)

0 0 OEPLOV LAwOllrG GEAR WRI:(G a d

ROLLWl AT-1ZS KCAS 1 I

ALTITUDE PROFILE

r
NOTE: ALTITUDES ARE ABOVE GROUND LEVfL IAGLI
AND ARE REfERfNCED TO ORBITER GROUND AIM
POINT ON WE RUNWAY

zoo00

'Om, t/ \ I
I ..-

TINE ( M I N I
 -10-

-
Event A1 t i t u d e -
T i me -
P DT -
i DT

Flight 2
I n t e r s e c t Racetrack 9,7O5(AGL)** T+6 8:06 11:06

Rated T h r u s t & Pushover T+30 8:30 11:30

& A c c e l e r a t e t o 260 KEAS
f o r High Speed F l u t t e r Check

Speedbrake E v a l u a t i o n 21,705 T+35 8: 35 11 :35

Climb Back t o 23,700 23,705 T+40.5 8:40.5 11:40

Sep. Data Run 260 KEAS 23,705 T+4 8 8:48 11:48

End Sep. Run 18,005 T+4 9 8:49 11:49

Touchdown (SCA O r b i t e r ) T+6 1 9:Ol 12:Ol

Flight 3

In t e r s e c t Racetrack 9,705 T+06 8:06 11:06

F l i g h t C o n t r o l System Check 21,705 T+22 8:22 11:22

Sep. Data Run 270 k t s . 23,605 T+ 32 8: 32 11:32

End Sep. Data Run 13,205 T+33.6 8:33 11:33

Climb back to 1 7 , 2 0 5 ft. T+34 8:34 11:34

Pushover f o r Autoland Test 17,205 T+52 8:52 11:52

End Autoland 2,005 T+55 8: 55 11 :55

Touch down T+6 3 9:03 12:03

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 CAPTIVE ACTIVE TIMELINE *

Event A1 t i tude -
Time -
P DT -
E DT

(Preflight)

Crew I n g r e ss T- 104 6:16 9: 16

Umbilical Pullout T- 78 6:42 9:42

O r b i ter/SCA Move T-62 6:58 9: 58

f r o m Mate/Demate

SCA Engine S t a r t T-42 7:18 10:18

SCA Begin T a x i T- 32 7:28 10:28

SCA A r r i v e Runway T-12 7:48 10:48

SCA Brake Release & Takeoff T- 0 8:OO 11:OO

Flight 1
F1 i g h t C o n t r o l System 6,500 T+06 8:06 11:06
(FCS) Check

F1 u t t e r Check 8,100 T+O 8 8:08 11:08-

Speed Brake Test 12,700 T+15 8: 15 11:15

I n f l i g h t FCS Check 1 2,700 T+ 24 8:24 11:24

Begin Descent 12,700 T+40 8:40 11:40

To u ch down T+4 9 8:49 11:49

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 -11-

Event A1 t i t u d e -
T i me -
P DT -
E DT

Flight 4

Tacti c a l A i r Navigation 16,405 T+16 8: 16 11:16

Range & B e a r i n g Tests

I n f l i g h t F1 i g h t Control 22,705 T+24 8: 24 11:24

System Checks

SCA Begin S p e c i a l Rated 24,705 T+36 8: 36 11:36

Thrust

Pushover-Practi ce 25,905 T+4 5 8:45 11 :45

Separation

Touchdown 81 Deploy O r b i t e r T+ 55 8: 55 11:55

Landing Gear

-
Note

* Events and t i m e s are p r e l i m i n a r y and may change p r i o r t o f l i g h t day.

** A l t i t u d e s are above Ground L e v e l (AGL) and are r e f e r e n c e d t o O r b i t e r

ground aim p o i n t on t h e runway. Add 2,300 ft. t o AGL t o o b t a i n
a l t i t u d e above Mean Sea L e v e l (MSC).

-end-