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carl--swagan reblogged this from humans-in-space
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humans-in-space posted this
Discovery has flown her last
39 missions, including three return-to-flight missions, the deployment of Hubble, Ulysses, and three vital TDRS satellites vital for keeping in constant communication with orbiting spacecraft : that’s just a tiny part of the legacy of Discovery, NASA’s oldest remaining orbiter.
And today, at 1557GMT, her wheels made contact with the runway at Kennedy Space Center for the last time. The spot where her nose wheels came to rest has been recorded in preparation for the placement of a marker alongside the runway showing where she came to rest for the last time.
The process of decommissioning now begins, where her main engines will be removed, and the orbiter herself will eventually be displayed at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
This is the beginning of the end of the shuttle program, with only two more missions left, one each for Endeavour and Atlantis. I’ve already covered a brief history of Atlantis during her first “final” mission last year (STS-135 has since been added to the manifest as a full mission). I’ll post one for Discovery in the coming days. Until then, keep an eye on NASA TV for the rollout of Endeavour tomorrow.
