Approach and Landing Test (ALT) – Shuttle Free-Flight (FF)-2, News Release

S77-28138 (13 Sept 1977) --- The shuttle Orbiter 101 "Enterprise" makes a slight turn and bank maneuver during the second free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) conducted on September 13, 1977, at the Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. The "Enterprise" separated from the NASA 747 carrier aircraft and landed following a five-minute, 28-second unpowered flight. The Orbiter 101 crew was astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot. The ALT free flights are designed to verify orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfy prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode. The orbiter soars above the dry California desert in this post-separation view. Astronaut C. Gordon Fullerton took this picture while riding in T-38 chase plane number one. He used a 35mm Nikon camera with a 50mm lens.