Enterprise (OV-101)

The Enterprise (OV-101) was a space shuttle commissioned by the United States of America's NASA space agency in the year 1976, 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.

History
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. 

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

The Enterprise would be maintained as a museum ship by the Federation. In the 2270s, 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. 

In the 24th century, the Enterprise was displayed at the Starfleet Museum of Deep Space Exploration. (Ships of the Line 2014)

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