Space Shuttle Discovery
The Space Shuttle Discovery flew every kind of mission an orbiter was meant to fly. As a historical object in the Museum's collectionit embodies the 30-year history of U.S. human spaceflight from 1981 to 2011the era of the Space Shuttle program.
What was the Space Shuttle Program?
The Space Shuttle program ran from presidential approval in 1972 to its end in 2011. It was the fourth human spaceflight program carried out by the United States and NASA. The Space Shuttleofficially known as the Space Transportation System (STS)was the first reusable spacecraft to carry humans into orbit.
On Display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
Space Shuttle Discovery
Discovery is an example of a Space Shuttle orbitera component of NASA’s Space Transportation System (STS). The STS consisted of a combination of a Space Shuttle orbitersolid rocket boostersand a fuel tank. Discovery was the third Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle to fly in space. It entered service in 1984 and retired from spaceflight in 2011 as the oldest and most accomplished orbiter.
Discovery by the Numbers
The longest serving orbiterDiscovery has some impressive statistics. Discovery flew every type of mission the orbiters were intended to carry out. Its crews made major contributions to history through these missions including:
- Deploying and servicing the Hubble Space Telescope
- 2 flights to the Russian space station Mirincluding the final docking in 1998
- 13 flights to the International Space Stationincluding the first docking in 1999
- 9 flights with science labsinstrumentsand loads as the main payloads
- 8 communications satellites deliveries
- 4 Department of Defense flights
39
The number of missions Discovery carried outmore than any other space shuttle orbiter.
365
The total number of days Discovery spent in space.
150,000,000
The total number of miles Discovery flew in space (240 million kilometers).
184
The total number of people that flew aboard Discovery. Many flew more than oncefor a total crew count of 251.
Getting Started
It took four trips to the launch pad to launch Discovery for the first time.
On the first missionthe crew of the Discovery delivered three satellites while also demonstrating how the shuttle could serve as more than a delivery vehicle.
Meet the Crew Members
Over 250 crew members flew aboard Discovery. Many were history-makers before coming aboardothers made history on Discoverysome did both. Meet some of the astronauts who flew aboard Discovery below.
STS-41D
STS-51A
STS-51C
STS-51G
STS-51
STS-33
STS-31STS-60
STS-31
STS-31
STS-39STS-58
STS-56STS-96
STS-60STS-91
STS-63STS-114
STS-95
STS-92
STS-92STS-120
STS-131
STS-133
Discovery's Final Launch
This NASA video captures Discovery's final launch on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station in 2011.
Tour Discovery Online
Take a Closer Look at Discovery's Exterior
Explore a 3D scan of the Space Shuttle Discovery. To begin a guided tour of the 3D scanclick the globe icon in the top left of the 3D scan interfaceor explore on your own!
Take a Closer Look at Discovery's Interior
Curator Dr. Jennifer Levasseur takes us on a tour inside of Space Shuttle Discovery, on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in ChantillyVirginia.
Discovery at the Museum
In 2012Discovery took to the sky one final time—this time atop the modified NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA). It's destination? The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in ChantillyVirginiawhere Discovery is now on permanent display.
Discovery's Arrival at the Museum
Before its arrival at Washington Dulles International AirportDiscovery was flown over large crowds in WashingtonDC. After being offloaded from the SCAit was pulled to the Udvar-Hazy Center for a nose-to-nose meeting with Space Shuttle Enterprise. In this videowatch as Discovery flies over the National Mall on April 172012.
Enjoy photos from Discovery's arrival at the Museum atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).
Before Discovery came to the MuseumSpace Shuttle Enterprise was on display. In 2012Discovery took its final flight to the Udvar-Hazy Centerand Enterprise was transferred to the Intrepid SeaAir & Space Museum in New York City.
Caring for Discovery
Dr. Jennifer Levasseur reflects on what it's like to be the curator of the Space Shuttle Discovery at the National Air and Space Museum.
Dennis Jenkins was a aerospace engineer who found a second career tending to NASA’s retired space shuttle orbiters.
Related Collection Objects
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