Enterprise!

12 August 1977. In the air, high above the Mojave desert, Apollo 13’s Fred Haise is at the controls of the Space Shuttle prototype. Alongside him is Gordon Fullerton. Cruising at 27 thousand feet, the vehicle is bolted to the back of a Boeing 747. It is the mother of all piggy-back rides. But this 68-tonne spacecraft is about to get its wings, as the moment approaches for the first free flight of the USS Enterprise. Haise pushes the button to blow the bolts - for a moment the shuttle lifts free, as the 747 dives away. But then - the master alarm is sounded: the computer controlling the orbiter’s flight systems has just died. Haise and Fullerton urgently work the problem. They only have one chance at a safe landing and that is coming up fast!  Ever wondered how the Space Shuttle came to be? Welcome to a new podcast series, 16 Sunsets. Host Kevin Fong takes you back to a pivotal moment in history, revealing the high-stakes drama behind this iconic orbiter, as told by those who were there. In this episode we follow the dramatic inaugural flight of the Shuttle and meet the 91-year old ex-Naval veteran who led the charge to name it, The Enterprise!Featuring: John Aaron, Bob Crippen, Bonnie Dunbar, Joe Engle, Gordon Fullerton, Gerry Griffin, Fred Haise, Jennifer Lavasseur, Tom Moser & BJo Trimble. Credits:Written and presented by Dr Kevin FongProducers: Rami Tzabar and Andrew Luck-Baker with additional production by Dave Giles and Clare Wiley.Assistant Producer: Kate Arkless GraySound Design and Mixing: Richard CourticeMusic: Christian Lundberg, part of Hans Zimmer’s Bleeding Fingers Composer CollectiveWith special thanks to Sandra Johnson and Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre Oral History Project Executive Producers: Stuart Coxe, Kevin Fong, Jago Lee and  Rami Tzabar16 Sunsets is an Antica and TellTale Production 2024Check out our website at https://sixteensunsets.com Instagram: @sixteen_sunsetsX: @16sunsetsWant more 16 Sunsets? Become a premium member of our community and unlock exclusive content, including early and ad-free episodes, by subscribing to 16 Sunsets on Supercast. Learn more at https://16sunsets.supercast.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

"16 Sunsets" is a captivating 10-part podcast series that explores the dramatic history of NASA's Space Shuttle program, crafted by the award-winning team behind "13 Minutes to the Moon." Hosted by renowned space storyteller Kevin Fong and featuring music by Christian Lundberg from Hans Zimmer's Bleeding Fingers Composers' Collective, the series recounts the birth of the Shuttle era through the eyes of those who built and flew it. From the Shuttle's audacious first flight in 1981 with Commander John Young and rookie Bob Crippen to the intricate technical challenges it faced, the podcast delves into the political, engineering, and cultural forces that shaped its inception. With over 40 interviews from NASA veterans and personal insights from Fong—who witnessed the Shuttle era firsthand—"16 Sunsets" captures the spirit of innovation and the human stories behind the missions, revealing the profound impact of the Space Shuttle on our understanding of human spaceflight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.