Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Space shuttle Discovery makes historic flight over the National Mall
A NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery flies above the National Mall with a NASA chase plane escort April 17. The retired shuttle landed at the Washington Dulles International Airport for delivery to the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Amber Russell)
Discovery completes final journey
The space shuttle Discovery makes its final voyage April 17 as it rides piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 above the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The shuttle circled the National Mall several times before landing at Dulles International Airport, where it made the rest of the journey to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia by truck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
Discovery completes final journey
The space shuttle Discovery makes its final voyage April 17 as it rides piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 above the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The shuttle circled the National Mall several times before landing at Dulles International Airport, where it made the rest of the journey to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia by truck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
Discovery completes final journey
The space shuttle Discovery makes its final voyage April 17 as it rides piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 by the George Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The shuttle circled the National Mall several times before landing at Dulles International Airport, where it made the rest of the journey to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia by truck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
Discovery completes final journey
The space shuttle Discovery makes its final voyage April 17 as it rides piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 by the George Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The shuttle circled the National Mall several times before landing at Dulles International Airport, where it made the rest of the journey to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia by truck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
Discovery completes final journey
The space shuttle Discovery makes its final voyage April 17 as it rides piggyback on a modified Boeing 747 by the George Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. The shuttle circled the National Mall several times before landing at Dulles International Airport, where it made the rest of the journey to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum annex in Virginia by truck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Torey Griffith)
By Senior Airman Torey Griffith / Published April 18, 2012
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. ,
Marking the end of an era in America's space exploration endeavors, the space shuttle Discovery made its final flight over Andrews and the National Capitol Region on April 17, 2012, riding atop a modified Boeing 747.
The shuttle's final destination is the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., which houses many other space-related artifacts.
First taking flight in 1984, Discovery served as NASA's fleet leader until it completed its final mission in March of 2011.
Discovery's sister ships, Endeavour and Atlantis are slated to retire later this year, as NASA closes the space shuttle program.
