Fifty years ago, NASA rolled out its first space shuttle while a host of iconic Star Trek actors watched on to celebrate the historic step forward in human spaceflight.
What is it?
On September 17, 1976, NASA rolled out thespace shuttle Enterprise, the first-ever space shuttle (which happens to bear the same name as theUSS EnterprisefromStar Trek).
Thisgrand reveal took placeat the Rockwell manufacturing facility in Palmdale, California — and there was no shortage of fanfare. As the shuttle rolled out of its hangar, the Air Force Band of the Golden West played music from Star Trek as a crowd of 600 guests looked on and listened.
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Among the guests were Star Trek icons including series creator Gene Roddenberry; Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock; Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura); George Takei (Mr. Sulu); James Doohan (Chief Engineer Montgomery Scotty Scott); DeForest Kelley (Dr. Bones McCoy); and Walter Koenig (Ensign Pavel Chekov). The crew took a moment to pose in front of the shuttle with NASA Administrator James D. Fletcher.
Why is it incredible?
The start of the space shuttle program was a "historic step in the nation's space program,"Fletcher saidat the time.
And today, 50 years in the future, it is clear in looking back that this truly was a historic step.NASA's space shuttle programran until 2011 when the shuttle Atlantis made its final flight. For over 30 years, NASA astronauts flew to and from space aboard space shuttles, making incredible leaps such as the construction of theInternational Space Stationand the launch of theHubble Space Telescope.
The space shuttle program also included tragic incidents with the Challenger and Columbia missions, showing NASA and the world just how dangerous space can be.
Content Manager
Chelsea Gohd served as a Senior Writer for Space.com from 2018 to 2022 before returning in 2026, covering everything from climate change to planetary science and human spaceflight in both articles and on-camera in videos. With a M.S. in Biology, Chelsea has written and worked for institutions including NASA JPL, the American Museum of Natural History, Scientific American, Discover Magazine Blog, Astronomy Magazine, and Live Science. When not writing, editing or filming something space-y, Gohd is writing music and performing as Foxanne, even launching a song to space in 2021 with Inspiration4. You can follow her online @chelsea.gohd and @foxanne.music
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