NASA's Enterprise: From Star Trek to Space

The first space shuttle orbiter, Enterprise, was unveiled in 1976 after Star Trek fans influenced its naming.

NASA publicly unveiled its first space shuttle orbiter, OV-101, on September 17, 1976. The rollout event at Rockwell's Palmdale facility in Southern California coincided with America's bicentennial Constitution Day. Originally intended to be named Constitution, the shuttle was renamed Enterprise after nearly 100,000 Star Trek fans wrote to the White House. President Gerald Ford directed the name change, celebrating a long naval tradition. The event was attended by hundreds, including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and several cast members, as well as NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher. Enterprise carried out pivotal atmospheric test flights that led to the shuttle program's spaceflights starting in 1981. Today, the orbiter is on display at the Intrepid Museum in New York City.