Apr

Discovery arrives!

The Space Shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a modified 747 jet, flew over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 17, 2012 on its way to its permanent home at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Thousands gathered to “Spot the Shuttle” along its route. Explore the Space Shuttle Discovery at http://discovery.si.edu

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: Space Shuttle Discovery soars away from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, beginning its maiden voyage and a storied spaceflight career that spanned more than 26 years. The on-time liftoff occurred at 8:42 am E.D.T. on Aug. 30, 1984. Discovery, the longest-serving and most flown of all the shuttles, will be welcomed into the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum collection on April 19, 2012 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, where it will go on permanent display. (Photo courtesy of NASA)

: The Space Shuttle Discovery, atop a modified 747, circles the National Mall April 17, 2012. The Smithsonian Institution Building (the “Castle”) is seen in the foreground. (Photo by Chun-Hsi Wong)