Inside the Real Spaceship Enterprise

I refuse to use the word “Starship” in conjunction with “Enterprise” in this post. Despite the inner geek in me having a mental breakdown at that statement, it just would not be accurate in describing the vehicles that are in question.

What vehicles are they? Well, so far there have been two real-life human spacecraft thus far named “Enterprise”. One of these never actually went into space, and never will. The other will almost certainly be the next human-carrying vessel to actually go to space in known history.

The Enterprise - OV101

The first vessel named “Enterprise” was the US Space Shuttle designated “OV-101”. This was the first fully completed, flight worthy Space Shuttle. It was named directly after the fictional Star Trek vessel “USS Enterprise” in recognition of its place as a pioneering flagship of human space travel.

Enterprise OV101 never actually went to space; its purpose was primarily flight tests (and most insiders will say a huge PR booster) which demonstrated that the concept of a reusable shuttle was indeed viable. These days you can find the Enterprise in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

Why you should be sad that constellation program has been cancelled.

This week we had news that the next Space Shuttle launch, STS 133, has been delayed. I’m not going to lie, that is barely newsworthy. But something that is very newsworthy is that, according to current plans, it is the anti-penultimate (third-to-last) launch that humanity will ever witness. That means that there are only three shuttle flights left and then – finito. And what’s scary is that the US has no replacement, and no immediate plans to construct one. The constellation program (next-gen shuttle system) is cancelled.