The Day The Space Shuttle Came To London

By · March 16, 2010 at 9:00 am · 10 Comments · Miscellaneous · Report an error ·

As the US space shuttle program enters its eventide, with flights due to end in September, here’s an unusual and largely forgotten episode from its early days. On 5 June 1983, shuttle Enterprise touched down at Stansted airport as part of a European tour that also took in Germany, France and Italy. Crowds of 200,000 people turned out to watch the unique spectacle, while many more watched the flight over west and north London (pic of the aircraft over Heathrow). Unfortunately, bad weather forced the cancellation of a Thames flyover. We can only assume that the tabloid press ran with headlines of ‘Euston, we have a problem’.

Although it flew several unaided atmospheric flights, and here crossed the Atlantic atop a modified 747, STS Enterprise never flew into orbit. It was designed as a test vehicle to demonstrate that the spaceship could manoeuvre and land like a conventional aircraft. It was named after the famous command of Captain James T. Kirk, following a vigorous campaign by Star Trek fans. The noble craft currently resides in the Smithsonian in Washington, but may shift elsewhere when the shuttle program concludes and a genuine orbiter takes its place. We hope the Science Museum will put in a bid.

Further still images of the landing can be seen in the video below, and in this Flickr set.

Long-term readers may remember our successful April Fool’s joke inspired by the shuttle-747 configuration.

 

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  • http://undefined BraveNewMalden

    I saw it.

    I was having a typical 80′s style boozy ad-agency lunch at the Dove in Hammersmith, and watched it fly over.

    Had not all my mates seen it too, I’d have blamed it on the London Pride.

    • http://undefined Lindsey

      Lindsey likes this

  • http://undefined EastRiver

    While Enterprise is in the Smithsonian collection it is not at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington. It is at the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, adjacent to Dulles International Airport and about 30 miles west of Washington. The center is also home to the Enola Gay and will be home to the Shuttle Discovery upon its retirement.

  • http://westminsterwalking.blogspot.com/ Joanna

    I was at Stansted too! I’ve got some very similar photos and will have to look for them tomorrow. Am glad I can’t spot myself in 1980s clothes though!

  • http://undefined Solex

    Such a shame that the Shuttle is about to come to an end.

  • LizofLewes

    I saw it too.  Are you sure the Thames flyover was cancelled as I definitely remember watching it from either Richmond or Twickenham bridge and know my parents took me to the Thames on purpose.

    • Matt

      It did fly over western London, as the post says, and would have been visible from Richmond. I guess I should have written ‘Thames in central London’.

  • mike iavelli

     It made a low altitude flight over my little hometown near Montréal, Canada on its return flight. I was 8 years old and it was an amazing sight. After all those years I can still picture it clearly in my mind. 

  • Tonyj144

    We saw in while waiting for a train at new cross.

  • Teabloke

    At Liz of Lewes – It definitely flew over London on route to Stansted.  I watched it pass over Tower Bridge.

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