What does ALT stand for?

The award also recognizes a number of efforts that supported the space shuttle, including the lifting body craft that gave NASA confidence to land the shuttles unpowered; working testing flight control systems used by the orbiter; the approach and landing tests of the space shuttle prototype Enterprise; and tests on thermal protection systems.

He has an extensive test and development background on a variety of projects including: the Inertial Upper Stage, XLR-132 Experimental Space Engine, International Ulysses solar mission spacecraft, YF-22A Advanced Tactical Fighter, C-17A, F-16, B-1B, X-40A Space Maneuvering Vehicle, F-18 Advanced Aeroelastic Wing, HH-60G Pave Hawk, RQ-4A Global Hawk, X-37 Approach and Landing Test Vehicle, and Crew Exploration Vehicle (NASA's newest manned spacecraft).

Designed and built by Rutan's Scaled Composites company in Mojave, the turbojet White Knight will be used to carry the unmanned X-37 aloft for a series of approach and landing tests in early 2005.

The contract includes a series of approach and landing tests for the engineless X-37 that will be carried out at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force base, as well as development of a research craft that can orbit the Earth.

CAPTION(S): 5 photos Photo: (1 -- 4 -- color) Standing on steps leading to the Boeing 747 shuttle carrier at Edwards Air Force Base recently are five past and current NASA employees who played roles in the 1977 shuttle approach and landing tests.

Fullerton, now a research pilot at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, flew on two space shuttle missions in the 1980s, co-piloted two approach and landing tests of the prototype shuttle orbiter Enterprise, and served on the support crew for the last four Apollo moon landing missions.

In 1977, Fullerton piloted the space shuttle prototype Enterprise during its initial approach and landing tests at Edwards.

Powered flights at Edwards would happen within a few months of the approach and landing tests at Holloman, Lindberg said.