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Jonathan Ernst / Reuters
People gather at the base of the Washington Monument to watch as the U.S. space shuttle Discovery, on the back of a NASA 747 transport jet, flies over the National Mall on its way to its permanent display at the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, April 17.
Jim Bourg / Reuters
The space shuttle Discovery, riding atop a NASA 747 transport jet, does a final fly-by over the White House as tourists an Washingtonians watch and take pictures in Washington, April 17. Discovery will go on display at the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center.
Win Mcnamee / Getty Images
Space Shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a 747 shuttle carrier aircraft, flies over the U.S. Capitol during a flyover of the nation's capital on its final trip to its retirement place April 17, in Washington, DC. The longest-serving orbiter in the space shuttle fleet was flown from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Washington, DC area to be transferred to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and will be placed on display in the museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
Michael Reynolds / EPA
The Discovery space shuttle, mated with a Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, flies over the Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia, USA, 17 April 17. NASA and Smithsonian officials will officially transfer Discovery to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center during a ceremony 19 April 2012. Discovery is the longest-serving orbiter in the space shuttle fleet.
Mark Wilson / Getty Images
The space shuttle Discovery rides atop a Boeing 747 as it flies past Washington, on April 17, in Arlington, Virginia. The retired shuttle was traveling to the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, where is will go on display. This photograph was taken at the Top of the Town in Arlington, Virginia.
Brendan Smialowski / AFP - Getty Images
The NASA space shuttle Discovery is seen from the White House's North Lawn as it is flown over Washington, DC April 17. The space shuttle was carried by a modified 747 aircraft from Kennedy Space Center to Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia where it will spend its retirement after 39 missions.
Nicholas Kamm / AFP - Getty Images
People stand on the roof of the US Labor Department as US space shuttle Discovery sitting atop NASA's 747 shuttle carrier aircraft flies by in Washington,DC on April 17, as it arrives from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to be displayed at the National Air and Space museum near the US capital.
Joe Skipper / Reuters
The space shuttle Discovery, attached to a modified NASA 747 aircraft, takes off headed for its final home at The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida April 17.
Joe Skipper / Reuters
Photographers look on as space shuttle Discovery (above) is approached by a NASA 747 aircraft being towed into the Mate Demate facility at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida April 15, 2012. Discovery was later mated with the aircraft and is expected to be flown to its final home at The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia on April 17.
From Space.com:
WASHINGTON — The space shuttle Discovery, NASA's fleet leader and the world's most flown spacecraft, lifted off for the last time on Tuesday to be delivered to the Smithsonian for its permanent display.
Discovery took off atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, leaving the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:58 a.m. ET, just after dawn, for Washington. The ferry flight was expected to take about three and a half hours.
For more on the story click here.
After a spectacular air show, the space shuttle is now ready for retirement at the Smithsonian. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
NASA via AP
After 27 years, space shuttle Discovery retires after completing 39 missions, traveling nearly 150 million miles and spending a total of 365 days in space.
Leave a Comment:
Godspeed space shuttle Discovery.
It is sad to see the end of such a successful era in American history. To see those two aircraft together like that makes me very proud of all American workers. Here's hoping for a successful next step in our space travels, whatever they may be.
Not too successful for two of them.
I watched the last flight live. I literally had tears in my eyes. I love what we can do when we work together towards a common goal. I hope we get back there one day.
As a pilot, I was awed by the grace of the landing at Dulles. The skill of that pilot is incredible. Like dancing with a fat lady and setting her down on a goose down pillow.
Veteran, your type is what's wrong with this country. Y'all have an incredible ability to s#!t glory. Sometimes silence is golden.
Park it just a big waste of Taxpayers Money!
You are ignorant and pathetic.
JonSmith, couldn't agree more.
Wonder if ranknfile thinks it's a waste when he makes a cell call, of watches "rasling" on dish network (communications satellites being one civilian application of the space program)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_spin-off
The space shuttle is one of the good, no make that GREAT, things that this country has done.
Now if we could just figure out how to solve problems down here on Earth - the environment, healthcare, economics, foreign policy and, well, those would be a good start.
Fantastic Pictures. What a wonderful way for Discovery to come to its final resting place. Just awsome that future generations will be able to see this shuttle up close and personal.
What great pictures!!
Wonderful images. I wish I had been there to see it.
Okay then, that's enough of near earth orbiting. Let's get our eyes back on Deep Space Exploration.
Hear Hear!!! Right you are, that was 30 years of testing the water and an amazing system it was. Now lets really get going. To quote Heinlein, "The meek shall inherit the earth, the rest of us will go to the stars". Or at least the planets!
I picked the wrong day not to go to DC and work at my off site office! my last office said they had an awesome view!
I shed a tear as this noble human endeavor comes to an end.
I can think of many other Governement programs we should have cut rather than the Space Shuttle program. So when will Obama announce the new "green" Electric Hybrid Shuttle Program built by GM?
It's not likely GM will be designing that until many decades after the President's second term in office,,, If it's not ran on Oil, republicans would oppose it anyway
Romney's idea of a Space Program is installing a garage elevator for his car,,,, Truth hurts, doesn't it?
Amen to that Jim!
But silly comments make you giggle, right jim?
If it had been up to the current crop of Republicans/Tea Party idiots, there would not have even been a space program. And satallites, what would those have been?
It won't be GM, but Virgin Galactic (who's already built a spaceport in New Mexico) and SpaceX who is set to launch the first commercial resupply of the space station on April 30th.
How dare that socialist Kenyan let private business take on the challenge of space.
JM-
If it were not for the untold billions invested by the US government, private companies would not have the technology to do any of that. The technology did not come from private investment, but from government initiative to overcome Soviet domination of space. That was your tax dollars that created the technological infrastructure upon which private enterprise may someday make a profit.
Whatever its merits, the shuttle program had run its course, with little left to be gained. What is sad is that there is no turnkey vehicle ready for the next era. In that sense, NASA is now a navy without a ship; pretty disgraceful for the world's "richest nation."
great photos, gonna miss it!
Today ends an era for me, The first flight of Discovery in 1984 was my first flight support mission in Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center. Today I watched her land at Dulles on her way to the Air And Space Museum. Talk about mixed feelings!
Congratulations to you to be part of something so wonderful. And thank you for your comments the other night about Star Trek.
Will there ever be a truly reusable spacecraft that can take off and land without attaching tanks to it?
Awesome sights!
Tons of emotions! AWEsome photos!
I'd be interested to see how they plan to deplane the shuttle from the mothercraft.... It's no mean feat, as the hardware required, is quite limited in numbers....and as far as I know, they are located only in Calif, and Texas, as those are the only two runways that the shuttle normally uses. Perhaps a H/D crane might do the job, since the shuttle won't be flying anywhere soon [or ever]! lol!!
After 28 yrs working with NASA at JSC, I find this a sad commentary on the program in particular, and our country as a whole.
duuug, I heard on the radio (WTOP) NASA sent 50 trucks worth of equipment to separate Discovery from the 747.
Why give the city of government the gift of such a view. They are the one's that cancelled this much needed program. No more aspirations of being an astronaut.
Jesus,
It looks like the baton will be taken up by private industry. How dare the business-hating socialist let that happen!
SpaceX has already successfully launched a craft and is scheduled to launch on the 30th on its first resupply mission to the the space station. And Virgin Galactic has built a spaceport in New Mexico (Bramson you damned pot-smoking hippie). The next generation of astronauts is already in training www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E1ECYlwCgs&feature=player_embedded.
What a thrill it was to see this fly by our offices in Northern VA near Dulles.
Thanks to NASA for giving us all about an hour off to watch this incredible man made space machine fly around DC this morning.
Some day when all the politicians stop fighting over money - we will get this program back on it's feet.
PS : I do not work for the Government.
I had an amazing view at Udvar Hazy. Two fly byes and the final landing. What an awesome sight.
I plan on going back Thursday to see Discovery and Enterprise nose to nose.
This is a sad day in the history of our space program, and in our nation. The fruition of 50+ years of work in the cosmos, one of only two things my grandfather cried at (the Moon Landing, and then the birth of his first grandchild), and the practice of space research is sorely miss. Yes, there are major environmental implications with the depletion of the ozone layer, but so many wonderful and life changing things have come out of the space program. God Speed, NASA.
It is the tax payers of this nation whom paid for this program, yet the tax spenders are the ones who see it.
It is a shame it was not flown around to numerous places around the whole USA, so everyone could relish
what they paid for...
It was the taxpayers of this great nation that paid for this, but as usual the tax spenders are the ones that this sight favors. To bad it was not flown around the whole USA so the rest of the nation (whp paid for it) would have a chance to see it also....
Considering this time of the year DC is one of the most travelled parts of the country, a huge number of "taxpayers of this great nation that paid for this" were able to see Discovery today and will see her when they come to visit throughout the year, as the Smithsonian museums are great tourist attractions. Not to mention that residents of DC pay taxes, yet has no representation in the Congress, so if you want to get all snotty about it, the residents of DC are paying for program they technically have to cause to pay for and they have one of the highest taxation rates in the nation. We would love to have you visit though.... just make sure you stand to the right and walk on the left when on a Metro escalator. Good day to you. :-)
Question! Since DC has some of the highest taxes in the nation, why is DC that furthest in debt of any major city? (I know - see Congress and the President)
Because we have no representation in Congress to stop the the jacked up policies and overspending!! hahahaha
Thus ends the Discovery and it's brother's days of space exploration. But also thus begins the new space shuttles active use. Its so bittersweet
@ the pilot of the 747, nicely done sir or ma'am.
She earned her retirement. I want to thank any and all people who made this shuttle program possible. Now, can we get another one?
One has to give Barack Hussein Obama credit! For over 50 years America was the premier space faring nation. Yet, in just 3 years BHO turned us into a 2nd rate space faring nation. We can no longer reach the Space Station that we mostly paid for. We can no longer send supplies to the Space Station on our own. In fact, in order for us to get our Astronauts to the Space Station, we now have to pay millions to Russia. I'm sure President Kennedy is rollng over in his grave.
And what is BHO's grand plan for "us" in space? Going to some asteroid! It doesn't matter which asteroid, any asteroid will do.
Worse yet, many of those at NASA have now found work in Russia, the EU and China. To further insure we are not number one in space, under BHO's plans, we will not even have a heavy lift rocket that could feasibly send us back to the moon until (some where) 2025. At the same time BHO is crippling us, BHO wants to team up with China but, not Russia. Why? Also, what is BHO so determined to give our technology away to Muslim countries in the Middle-East?
The Space Shuttle, even if "old" could have kept flying until we had a replacement built, tested and ready for use. But that would be logical and would have kept us at the top in Space. NASA and the Space Shuttle area prime example of BHO trying to turn America into a 2nd rate nation.
I have to admit, I watched this with tears in my eyes. I remember the space program from the very early days and Dad worked for NASA for his entire career. The first moon landing was on my birthday and I was sure that it had been planned that way -- talk about a thrill! The astronauts were always hereos to me.
Hopefully, we'll get back into space soon!
Heroes!