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The first Space Shuttle Orbiter was to be named Constitution, but fans of the television series "Star Trek" waged a write-in campaign and convinced the White House to rename the vehicle. The Enterprise was built as a test vehicle and not equipped for space flight. Two NASA crews, Fred Haise and Gordon Fullerton, and Joe Engle and Dick Truly took turns flying Enterprise during five free-flight landings. The first free-flight test took place on 12 August 1977. On 18 November 1985, Enterprise was ferried to Dulles Airport, Washington, D.C., and became the property of the Smithsonian Institution. The Enterprise may be seen at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport.

Flight records

Take-off of the Enterprise and the SCA (Shuttle Carrier Aircraft)
Separation of the Enterprise from the SCA
Landing of the Enterprise
(Credit - NASA)
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Columbia, OV-102
(Destroyed)

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Columbia was the oldest orbiter in the NASA fleet. The orbiter was lost during reentry on 1 February 2003, during the flight of STS-107. It made its first flight (STS-1) on 12 April 1981. Columbia was named after a sloop out of Boston, MA, captained by Robert Gray. On 11 May 1792, the sloop Columbia became the first to sail into what was later named the Columbia River.

View a slide show of Columbia being returned from Edwards after an overhaul.

Debris recovered from the Enterprise is stored in the Vehicle Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral.

Flight records

Watch the launch of Columbia (34kbps) (100kbps) on the STS-107 mission.
(credit - NASA)
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Challenger, OV-099
(Destroyed)

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Challenger began life as a structural test article (STA-099).  Challenger was converted to an operational orbiter vehicle (OV-099) after a 1978 decision not to convert the Enterprise (OV-101) to operational status. Challenger's first space flight occurred on 4 April 1983, as STS-6. Challenger was tragically lost during it's tenth flight (51-L) on 28 January 1986. Challenger was named after an American Naval research vessel which sailed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the 1870's.

Recovered debris from Challenger are stored in two abandoned missile silos at Cape Canaveral.

Flight records

Discovery, OV-103

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Discovery, the oldest operational orbiter, was named after one of the ships used by James Cook (British explorer) in the 1770's. Discovery made its first flight (41-D) on 30 August 1984.

Flight records

Watch the launch of Discovery (34kbps) (150kbps) on the STS-102 mission.
(Credit - NASA)
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Atlantis, OV-104

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Atlantis was named after the primary research vessel of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute from 1930 to 1966. The first flight for Atlantis (51-J) was on 3 October 1985.

Flight records

Watch Atlantis landing (34kbps) (100kbps) after the STS-98 mission.
(Credit - NASA)
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Endeavour, OV-105
(Built as a replacement for the Challenger)

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Like Discovery, Endeavour was also the name of one of James Cook's ships. The first flight of the shuttle Endeavour (STS-49) was on 5 May 1992.

Flight records

Watch the launch of Endeavour (34kbps) (100kbps) on the STS-99 mission.
( Credit - NASA )
Requires RealPlayer.