Enterprise was the NASA space shuttle orbiter rolled out during the United States Bicentennial in 1976.
The prototype orbiter was publicly unveiled at Rockwell International’s Palmdale facility in California on September 17, 1976. It was named Enterprise after a campaign by fans of the television series Star Trek, although it had initially been planned under the name Constitution in connection with the Bicentennial.
Enterprise was built for atmospheric approach-and-landing tests rather than orbital missions. It lacked engines and a functional heat shield, so it could not fly into space. NASA instead used it for captive-carry tests, glide tests, and landing research after releasing it from a modified Boeing 747.
The orbiter became an important test vehicle for the reusable Space Shuttle system. It never entered orbit, unlike Columbia, the first operational shuttle to reach space. Enterprise is now displayed at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City.