The Enterprise (OV-101) was a space shuttle commissioned by the United States of America's NASA space agency in the year1976, and was the first Earth space vehicle to bear the name Enterprise.

In reality, the space shuttle Enterprise was so named following a letter writing campaign by Star Trek fans to President Gerald Ford.

Contents 1 History 2 Legacy 3 Appendices 3.1 Connections 3.2 References 3.3 External link

HistoryEdit

As a prototype vehicle, the Enterprise was not actually completed with the systems required to enter orbit, but was instead built mainly to verify the viability of certain technology—such as the landing systems of the space shuttle. After a number of test flights within Earth's atmosphere, Enterprise was retired as a museum piece. Although there was the possibility of having Enterprise refit as an operational vehicle, the space shuttle program ended on reference stardate -1/92 without the prototype ever having left Earth's atmosphere. (ST reference: Spaceflight Chronology; TOS - The Lost Years novel: A Flag Full of Stars)

LegacyEdit

Images of this ship were displayed in Captain Jonathan Archer's quarters aboard the Earth Starfleet ship Enterprise (NX-01), and also on the recreation deck of the Starfleet starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). (Star Trek: Enterprise, TOS movie: The Motion Picture)

The Enterprise would be maintained as a museum ship by the Federation. In the 2270s decade, on the tricentennial anniversary of Earth's first series of Lunar landings, the Enterprise was fitted with orbital maneuvering thrusters and impulse engines by a team of Starfleet engineers that included Commander Montgomery Scott. The shuttle was flown outside of Earth orbit for the first time in the company of the saucer section of the USS Enterprise, the saucer having been recently separated during an extensive refit process. (TOS - The Lost Years novel: A Flag Full of Stars)

AppendicesEdit

ConnectionsEdit

Ships named Enterprise
United Kingdom of Great Britain	HMS Enterprize
United States of America	Enterprise • CV-6 • CVN-65 • OV-101
United Earth	Starliner 7 • XCV-330 • NX-01
United Federation of Planets	Declaration-class • NCC-1701 • NCC-1701-A • NCC-1701-B • NCC-1701-C • NCC-1701-D • NCC-1701-E
Terran Empire (mirror universe)	NX-01 • NCC-1701 • NCC-1701-A • ICC-1701-D • NCC-1701-E
Galactic Commonwealth (mirror universe)	Free Starship Enterprise
Federation (alternate reality)	NCC-1701
Federation (alternate futures)	NCC-1701-F • NCC-1701-J • NCC-1701-∞
United Earth (alternate realities)	UESS Enterprise • ESS Enterprise
Federation (other alternate realities)	FSS Enterprise • USV Enterprise • US Enterprise • USS Enterprise-E

ReferencesEdit

• ST reference: USS Enterprise Owners' Workshop Manual
• ST reference: Star Trek Encyclopedia

External linkEdit

• Enterprise (OV-101) article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
• Space Shuttle Enterprise article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.