You know, I gotta admit that at least one detail in the theme slide show seriously resonates with me: Seeing the depiction of the Space Shuttle Enterprise coming out of its hangar. Anyone not familiar with how this shuttle got its name, and who wants to know, should read
this official NASA web page,
this wikipedia article, and
the Memory Alpha article.
In a sense, it really was a Constitution-class spaceship named Enterprise, which owing to the Bicentennial was completely unplanned. The introduction to the wikipedia article, and the Memory Alpha article, both explain why it never underwent the refit to fly in space.
Being old enough, I remember the write-in campaign, I still have newspaper and magazine pictures of Roddenberry and TOS cast members in front of the ship, and I remember watching the first free flight and landing on August 12, 1977. So, hats off to the show
Enterprise for having the boldness to be a little more explicit in the inclusion of Space Shuttle Enterprise, beyond a hand-drawn plaque on the wall, or obscure model. I do find this slide in the theme inspiring. Maybe one day I'll even wave my hands over my head and start singing, "It's been a long road...."
Here are links to the live broadcast of that flight on August 12, 1977, as shown on NBC, now on youtube in three parts:
First Enterprise Free Flight part 1 =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I8DZivcnMM&feature=related
First Enterprise Free Flight part 2 =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-YNcwc1ZME&feature=related
First Enterprise Free Flight part 3 =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU6t-bk_sqc&feature=related
There is obviously an edit in part 3, cutting out the part when the Enterprise roles to a stop. This can be seen on
this other video of the flight and landing, but which unfortunately is of poorer quality. You may also notice that, ostensibly anyway, the television audience had a much longer attention span in those days, than they do today. Apologies for Jack Perkins's awkwardness, especially near the end.