After almost 27 years and 39 flights in Earth's orbit, the space shuttle Discovery arrived at Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., April 17 on its way to its final resting place.
The last flight of the space shuttle Discovery flies over Joint Base Andrews, Md. on April 17, 2012. Discovery piggy -backed a ride on a jumbo 747 from NASA KTTS Landing Facility.
A NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery performs a fly-by, April 17, 2012 at Joint Base Andrews, Md. The aircraft landed at Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Va., before its transfer to the National Air and Space Museum. Discovery completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles.
The space shuttle Discovery, sitting on top of a modified NASA Boeing 747 aircraft, flies over Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va., April 17, 2012. The Discovery made its final voyage to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia.
A crowd watches as the space shuttle Discovery, sitting on top of a modified NASA Boeing 747 aircraft, taxis on the runway at Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va., April 17, 2012. The Discovery made its final voyage to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia.
Spectators watch as space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies over the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Chantilly, Va. More than 6,000 spectators turned out to welcome Discovery to its museum home.
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, flies into the sunrise above Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 17, 2012. The ferry flight, destined for Washington, D.C., marked the final departure for Discovery from its home for three decades. [See full story.]
Shuttle spotter Tina Paul snapped this amazing photo of Discovery soaring over the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Md., on April 17, 2012 as NASA delivered the shuttle to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for display. [See full story.]
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) is seen from Top of the Town in Arlington, Virginia as it flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington.
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies over the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington. NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers.
Some of the estimated 6,000 visitors to the Udvar-Hazy Center, northern Virginia, take photos of the SCA carrying retired shuttle Discovery on April 17, 2012.
Shuttle spotter Tina Paul snapped this amazing close-up of Discovery soaring over the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, Md., on April 17, 2012 as NASA delivered the shuttle to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for display. [See full story.]
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies near the Smithsonian Institution Castle, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington while en route to the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center to be put on display.
Among the estimated 6,000 visitors at the Udvar-Hazy Center in northern Virginia greeting the arriving Space Shuttle Discovery was 8-year-old Alex Corica, from Carlisle, Penn. He dressed the part!
Observers near the Cocoa Beach Pier watch as Discovery flies over area beaches. Image taken April 17, 2012. [See full story.]
Photographers snap pictures of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft flying Discovery over the Udvar-Hazy Center, northern Virginia, on April 17, 2012.
An estimated 6,000 people showed up at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center outside Washington, D.C., on April 17, 2012, to see the flyover of Space Shuttle Discovery.
The SCA carrying NASA's retired space shuttle Discovery landed at Washington Dulles Airport on April 17, 2012. [See full story.]
The SCA carrying retired shuttle Discovery flew to Washington Dulles Airport, April 17, 2012.
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, at podium, speaks to those in attendance at Apron W after the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with space shuttle Discovery mounted on top rolled to a halt at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday, April 17, 2012 in Sterling, Va. NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space.
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) approaches the runway at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Sterling, Va.
SPACE.com's Clara Moskowitz covered the landing of Discovery at the Udvar-Hazy Center, northern Virginia, April 17, 2012. She writes: "The shuttle made three flyover passes over our heads to oohs and ahhs."
John Relph sent this photo of Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft taken on April 17. 2012. He writes: "I met a friend ... on the Arlington Memorial Bridge.... It was a pretty good spot, especially since the first pass of the flight came down the Potomac. I think I felt a little let down by the experience. Let down because it was a little bit sad to see the end of an era. The shuttles will never fly again, except on the back of the SCA. But I was glad to finally see the Discovery in person."
Mary Kuehn sent a photo of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft ferrying Discovery over the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C., April 17, 2012.
Chris Morin sent this photo of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and Discovery shot on April 17, 2012. He writes: "Taken at DC Water Blue Plains Advanced Waste Water Treatment in Plant located [in] Washington, D.C."
Meghan Jones sent in this photo of the SCA and shuttle Discovery taken on April 17, 2012. She writes: "It was amazing and definitely made the hair on the back of my neck stand up!! It was also really cool to see throngs of people on the mall there to see the flyover and show their support."
Steven Jin sent in this photo and writes: "The Discovery flew over by our building in Tysons Corner, VA." Photo taken April 17, 2012.
Janae Freeman sends this photo of the SCA ferrying Discovery against a cloudy sky, taken on April 27, 2012.
Julie L. Zelek, Civ, DAF, sent in a photo taken April 17, 2012, and writes: "Small ... but I got it. Andrews AFB, MD."
The SCA carrying shuttle Discovery flew to Washington Dulles Airport, April 17, 2012.
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, is seen as it flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Washington. Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles. NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers.
Richard H. Croop, Jr. took this photo of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (N905NA) on final approach to Washington Dulles International Airport, bringing Discovery on April 17, 2012. He says he was located "just off the end of the runway threshold for Runway One Right."
Sanjib Das took this photo of Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft flying overhead, from the intersection of Virginia State Route 28 and Westfields Blvd.
Anthony M. Rutkowski sends this photo of Discovery and the SCA taken on April 17, 2012. He writes about it: "It was taken by myself from Rte 50 a few seconds before the final landing on runway 1R. It was special for me because I once worked at KSC and designed the very first Unified Launch Console as we were converting from the Apollo to the Shuttle programs."
Josh Voigt sent this photo of his son and Discovery flying aboard the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, taken on April 17, 2012. He writes: "Here [are] a couple of shots I took of my son Nathan on the Mall this morning. Nathan is 19 months old. We live just northwest of Baltimore and drove to the Washington Mall early to see the sight.... We had an amazing experience."
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home takes off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home takes off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT on April 12, 2012. Discovery is headed for the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, is ready for its final ferry flight on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.
Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft departed Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility on April 17, 2012. It was the same runway where the shuttle last landed from space on March 9, 2011.
A modified Boeing 747 jet (the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) takes off with space shuttle Discovery riding piggyback to ferry the spacecraft from its home at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum display annex outside Washington, D.C., on April 17, 2012.
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home flies over the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The duo took off from Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home takes off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home prepares to take off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.
The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home taxis to the runway at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida preparing to take off at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.
Workers use two cranes to position the sling that will be used to demate the space shuttle Discovery, Monday, April 16, 2012, at the Apron W area of Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Va.
On Tuesday, April 17, 2012, between 10 and 11 a.m. EDT, space shuttle Discovery atop a Boeing 747 jet will fly from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to the Smithsonian's NASM Udvar-Hazy Center and may be visible from the locations on this NASA map. If you take a photo of Discovery's ferry flight, please send it to SPACE.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com.
Johnson Space Center tweeted this photo of shuttle Discovery
Space shuttle Discovery was mated atop NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, on Sunday, April 15, 2012 for the spacecraft’s upcoming ferry flight to the Smithsonian.
As the sun rose on April 16, 2012, the tail ends of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and space shuttle Discovery were illuminated under the Shuttle Landing Facility's mate-demate device at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Pilot Jeff Moultrie in the captain's seat of NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Moultrie designed a ‘final mission’ patch for his crew’s shuttle museum deliveries, as shared with collectSPACE.com.
At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft moves into position under space shuttle Discovery suspended 60 feet off the ground in the mate-demate device. The device, known as the MDD, is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist a shuttle off the ground and position it onto the back of the aircraft, or SCA. Photo taken April 15, 2012.
At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Discovery slowly is lifted off the ground inside the mate-demate device in preparation for the arrival of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The device, known as the MDD, is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist a shuttle off the ground and position it onto the back of the aircraft, or SCA.
Space shuttle Discovery, suspended in Kennedy Space Center's Mate-Demate Device, was delayed a day being lifted atop its jumbo jet ride to the Smithsonian due to winds on April 14, 2012.
Space Shuttle Discovery’s move from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the mate-demate device, or MDD, at the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF, is complete as the sun rises over NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At the SLF, Discovery will be secured on the back of a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, or SCA. The MDD is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist a shuttle off the ground and position it atop an SCA.
Space shuttle Discovery completes a three-point turnaround outside the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, for its trip to the Shuttle Landing Facility, or SLF. Its move got under way at 5 a.m. EDT, on April 14, 2012. Discovery was in storage in the VAB’s high bay 4 awaiting departure from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39 area for the final time.
The newly arrived Shuttle Carrier Aircraft is seen through the platforms of the mate-demate device at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo taken April 10, 2012.
NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft lands at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 10, 2012.
NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft lands at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 10, 2012.
Senator John Glenn and Kennedy Space Center director Bob Cabana reminisce inside the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery in the Kennedy Space Center's Orbiter Processing Facility. Glenn flew on Discovery as a mission specialist in 1998 and Cabana served as pilot for Discovery during a mission in 1990 and another in 1992.
Two NASA T-38 jets, like the one seen here in the foreground, will scout the skies ahead of space shuttle Discovery (background) arriving in Washington, D.C.
Space shuttle Discovery twin 60-foot payload bay doors were closed for a final time on Dec. 16, 2011 at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida
Stephanie Stilson, NASA vehicle manager for Discovery, poses for a photo in January 2004. Stilson is now the shuttle transition and retirement flow director at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Space shuttle Discovery rolls March 9, 2011 into Kennedy Space Center’s Orbiter Processing Facility-2 in Florida after its final mission STS-133. It will be readied for retirement and public display.
The space shuttle Discovery is suspended from a sling held by two cranes after the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) was pushed back from underneath at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Workers monitor the lift of the space shuttle Discovery from the top of the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).
NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) with the space shuttle Discovery mated on top rolls into position for demating at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Workers monitor the lift of the space shuttle Discovery from the top of the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).
The space shuttle Discovery is suspended from a sling held by two cranes shortly after the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) was pushed back from underneath at Washington Dulles International Airport.
The space shuttle Discovery is suspended from a sling held by two cranes shortly after the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) was pushed back from underneath at Washington Dulles International Airport.
The space shuttle Discovery is suspended from a sling held by two cranes shortly after the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) was pushed back from underneath at Washington Dulles International Airport
Workers monitor the lift of the space shuttle Discovery from the top of the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).
Space Shuttle Discovery mounted atop a 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) approaches the runway for landing at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday April 17, 2012, in Sterling, Va.
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) is seen a few hours before being demated at Washington Dulles International Airport, Wednesday, April 18, 2012, in Sterling, VA.
