Space Shuttle Discovery: Final Mission, Today’s Flight, Events (video)

The Space Shuttle Discovery made its final voyage today from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to its new home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in the Washington D.C. area.

It was an emotional experience to witness — from my home in Northern Virginia, I shot the above photos of one of the final remaining STS Shuttles take a ride atop a NASA-modified 747. That’s the typical means of transport for the STS platform. It’s the end of an era. The Shuttle program supplied so much knowledge and fascinating data over the years. 

About the video above, NASA writes this telling caption:

Space Shuttle Discovery, atop its Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, NASA 905, is shown from various vantage points around the National Capital region on April 17 on the final leg of its ferry flight from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

As part of the additional of Shuttle Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum collection at the Udvar-Hazy Center, there will be multiple events for people to take part in:

• Thursday April 19th, 2012 is the Welcome Discovery Celebration.
• Friday April 20th, 2012 will be the Student Discovery Day.
• Saturday and Sunday April 21st and 22nd, 2012 is Family Weekend.

These events will offer an amazing cross section of information, guests, and exhibits on the NASA STS program for all ages.  Of note, on Thursday the Shuttle Discovery will replace the Enterprise, currently on display, in a ceremony that will allow guests to view both craft.  If you are in the Washington D.C. area you won’t want to miss this.

For more videos of the flight today be sure to check out NASA TV.

I’m Christopher Poirier and this is aNewDomain.net.

(Photos taken by Christopher Poirier for aNewDomain.net from his Northern Virginia view of today’s flight)