A very special delivery
On Thursday, April 19, 2012, the Smithsonian received from NASA the Space shuttle Discovery, which will take the place of the Space shuttle Enterprise at the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Enterprise was the first space shuttle orbiter, built for NASA to perform test flights in the atmosphere and was not capable of spaceflight. It has been on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center’s Space Hangar since 2004. Enterprise will be transferred to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City.
Discovery was decoupled and removed from the NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) on which it arrived after a special fly-over of Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, April 17. The removal procedure was performed with a sling held by two cranes after its landing at Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Va. Discovery was the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet and completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles.
NASA is transferring Discovery to the Smithsonian to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers.
Click on any image to expand. Many more images are available on Flickr
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- Space shuttle Discovery is rolled toward the transfer ceremony at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Thursday, April 19, 2012 in Chantilly, Va. Discovery will be permanently housed at the Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the Smithsonian Institution’s Air and Space Museum. (Photo by NASA/Carla Cioffi)
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- 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, Thursday, April 19, 2012, in Sterling, Va.
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- Space Shuttle Enterprise rolls from the Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center prior to a transfer ceremony, Thursday, April 19, 2012, in Chantilly, Va. (Photo by NASA/Paul E. Alers)
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- Space shuttle Enterprise is seen as the United States Marine Corp Drum and Bugle Corps and Color Guard march by at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Thursday, April 19, 2012 in Chantilly, Va. Enterprise was the first space shuttle orbiter, built for NASA to perform test flights in the atmosphere and was not capable of spaceflight. It has been on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center’s Space Hangar since 2004. Enterprise will be transferred to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City. (Photo by NASA/Carla Cioffi)
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- Front-row seats at the Discovery welcome ceremony April 19 at the Udvar-Hazy Center are reserved for astronauts who served on the space shuttle. (Photo by John Gibbons)
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- Former astronauts who flew missions on the Space Shuttle Discovery take their places for the welcome ceremony at the Udvar-Hazy Center April 19. (Photo by John Gibbons)
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- Former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn holds his hand to his heart during the playing of the National Anthem at the transfer ceremony for space shuttle Discovery, Thursday, April 19, 2012, at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. (Photo by NASA/Paul E. Alers)
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- Space Shuttles Enterprise, left, and Discovery meet nose-to-nose during the a transfer ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Thursday, April 19, 2012. (Photo by John Gibbons)
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- Space Shuttles Enterprise, left, and Discovery meet nose-to-nose during the a transfer ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Thursday, April 19, 2012. (Photo by NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Video footage courtesy of NASA (http://nasa.gov/ntv) and Nathan Moeller, Max-Q Entertainment
Introductory music: “Stay Crunchy” by Ronald Jenkees
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Posted: 20 April 2012
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