Approach and Landing Test (ALT) - Shuttle Free-Flight (FF)-2 - New Release - Edwards AFB (EAFB), CA

S77-28144 (13 Sept 1977) --- The shuttle orbiter 101 "Enterprise" stirs up a cloud of desert sand and dust as it lands to conclude a five-minute, 28-second unpowered flight during the second free flight of the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) conduced on September 13, 1977 at the Dryden Flight Research Center in Southern California. The Orbiter 101 crew astronauts Joe H. Engle, commander, and Richard H. Truly, pilot. The ALT free flights are designed to verify orbiter subsonic airworthiness, integrated systems operations and pilot-guided approach and landing capability and satisfy prerequisites to automatic flight control and navigation mode. On the right a T-38 chase plane comes in for a landing, also. This picture was taken with an Air Force Test Center 70mm Hasselblad camera installed on a tracking mount parked on the lake bed.