Prairie Schooner for Space

A journey of a thousand miles, said Chinese Philosopher Lao-tzu, must begin with a single step. So must a journey of millions of miles. Early in 1979 a squat and ungainly-looking craft known as a space-shuttle orbiter will open up a new age in space exploration--the era of the reusable spacecraft--by taking its first round trip around the earth and back. Last week the first of these craft stepped off on this journey into history. In a daylong trek, the ship was moved 58 kilometers (36 miles) across California's Mojave Desert from the Rockwell International plant in Palmdale where it was built to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base. There it will begin tests that will culminate in flights that could do for space colonization what the prairie schooner and the railroads did for the settling of America.

The move, like everything else connected with the $6.9 billion shuttle pro gram, required precise planning. For months, engineers from NASA and Rockwell International had been surveying the route to Edwards, relocating telephone poles and overseeing the resurfacing of 16 kilometers (10 miles) of gravel road so that it could withstand the shuttle's 68,000-kilogram (150,000-lb.) weight. They also constructed a special trailer to carry the craft, a 90-wheel affair designed to be steered both from the front and the rear like a hook-and-ladder truck.

When moving day arrived, OV (for Orbiter Vehicle) 101, christened Enterprise to the delight of thousands of Star Trek fans, was jacked up and loaded onto its transporter. Then in predawn darkness, officials gave the signal to start. Led by vehicles from the Los Angeles County sheriffs office (including a bomb-squad truck), accompanied by an extra tractor and back-up generator, and followed by two busloads of blue-vested Rockwell "handlers," who took turns walking alongside the craft, the convoy set out at a stately 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) per hour for Edwards.

Security for the trip was tight. Concerned by a recent discovery of arms caches in the area, motorcycle policemen scoured the scrub on either side of the route, while Air Force and police helicopters patrolled overhead. Officials held their breaths as the spacecraft and its transporter--47.6 meters (153 ft.) long and 23.8 meters (78 ft.) wide --moved along East 10th Street through Palmdale and adjoining Lancaster. At one point, Rockwell workers had to rush forward with a chain saw to lop off a traffic sign in order to permit the shuttle to slip through. But even with such precautions, the clearance for the ship was often only a matter of inches. Still, the eleven-hour move went off without a hitch. Townspeople turned out enthusiastically to watch the shuttle pass. "Weird," said Mike Frazier, 14, as he accompanied the procession on his bicycle. "Wonderful," said Mrs. Ena Moss as she watched from her roadside home. By day's end, to the visible relief of all concerned, the shuttle was safe at Edwards.

Captive Flights. The move was only the beginning of the unfolding Enterprise adventure. The shuttle is designed to be launched from the ground like a rocket. But first NASA wants to test its ability to land safely without power --as it will on its return from orbit. For this purpose the orbiter will be "mated" to a carrier plane, a Boeing 747 with special mounts on top. This month the two ships will begin six months of tests. The piggyback pair will first run up and down the Edwards runway to test for vibration and stability. Then they will take their first flight together. The 747 will lumber off the field, carry the crewless orbiter to an altitude of 4,900 meters (16,000 ft.) and after making several 90DEG turns, come down for a landing with Enterprise still aboard. If all goes well, five more flights with the unmanned orbiter will follow. Then in May and June, the orbiter will run six more captive trials, this time with the crew aboard.

But the shuttle's big test will come on July 22. On that day the 747 is scheduled to haul the Enterprise to an altitude of 8,500 meters (27,000 ft.). There the 747 will ease its nose down, and at 7,300 meters (24,000 ft.) the orbiter pilot will trigger a series of explosive bolts holding his craft to the carrier. A moment later, the two ships will separate, the Enterprise nosing upward as the 747 pulls down and away.

From this point on, the Enterprise will be on her own. Pitching downward, the craft will level off at 5,500 meters (18,000 ft.). Then it will drop again, making a 180DEG turn to bring it into line with the runway at Rogers Dry Lake. Some six minutes after separation, the Enterprise, without power, will touch down at 330 kilometers per hour (180 knots) and roll to a stop.

Piece of Cake. Astronauts who have been training in a shuttle simulator are confident that they can bring the Enterprise down safely. "It's a piece of cake," says Navy Commander Richard Truly, 38. "If this flight is anything like the simulator said it is going to be, then it'll be great." NASA officials who share his confidence are already looking forward to the day when the Enterprise and her sister ship, OV 102, will be making regular runs into space. So --and with good reason--are officials of Government agencies, military services and private companies, who could use the shuttle to launch satellites, make scientific observations and eventually even carry out manufacturing activities in space. The orbiters will be able to lift their payloads into space relatively economically and stay aloft for up to one month. Two weeks after they land, the ships will be ready to go up again.

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