Space Shuttle Discovery Lands for Final Time in Florida
- Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:54am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Editor’s note: this story originally featured live video of Discovery’s landing. It has been replaced by an AP story.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Discovery ended its career as the world’s most flown spaceship Wednesday, returning from orbit for the last time and taking off in a new direction as a museum piece.
After a flawless trip to the International Space Station, NASA’s oldest shuttle swooped through a few wispy clouds on its way to its final touchdown.
“To the ship that has led the way time and time again, we say, ‘Farewell Discovery,’” declared Mission Control commentator Josh Byerly.
When it landed three minutes before noon EST, Discovery ceased being a reusable rocketship.
“For the final time: wheels stop,” commander Steven Lindsey called out when the shuttle rolled to a stop. He was the last of the six crew members to climb out of the shuttle.
Dozens of NASA officials – flight directors, launch managers, former astronauts – joined the crew on the runway to admire the shuttle and pose for pictures.
“It’s a pretty bittersweet moment for all of us,” Lindsey said. “As the minutes pass, I’m actually getting sadder and sadder about this being the last flight.”
Even after shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis make their final voyages in the coming months, Discovery will still hold the all-time record with 39 missions, 148 million miles, 5,830 orbits of Earth, and 365 days spent in space. All that was achieved in under 27 years.
Discovery now leads the way to retirement as NASA winds down the 30-year shuttle program in favor of interplanetary travel.
NASA estimates it will take several months of work – removing the three main engines and draining all hazardous fuels – before Discovery is ready to head to the Smithsonian Institution. It will make the 750-mile journey strapped to the top of a jumbo jet.
Throughout the flight, Lindsey and his crew marveled at how well Discovery was performing. They noted that the spacecraft was going into retirement still “at the top of her game.”
Discovery’s last mission unfolded smoothly despite a four-month grounding for fuel tank repairs and a liftoff Feb. 24 in the last two seconds of the countdown.
“It came back as perfect on its final flight as it did on its first flight,” Lindsey said.
Perhaps more than any other shuttle, Discovery consistently delivered.
It made its debut in 1984 following shuttles Columbia and Challenger, dispatched the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990, flew the first shuttle rendezvous to Russia’s Mir space station and carried the first female shuttle pilot in 1995, and gave another ride into space to John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, in 1998.
It got NASA flying again, in 1988 and 2005, following the Challenger and Columbia disasters. And it flew 13 times to the space station, more than any other craft. On its last trip, it delivered a new storage compartment packed with supplies and a humanoid robot.
“You’re sad to see her be retired, but at the same time, it’s really a pride thing. We got her back OK. It was a beautiful mission,” said Ken Smith, a Boeing propulsion manager who monitored the shuttle’s systems from the landing strip.
But he added: “We’ve got two more to fly.”
The Discovery astronauts took several minutes to go through the long receiving line on the runway. NASA’s boss, Charles Bolden, a former shuttle commander who twice flew Discovery, led the welcoming party and called it “an absolutely incredible flight.” Earlier in the morning, he joined about 50 local eighth-graders eager to see history in the making.
Bolden will announce the final homes for Endeavour and Atlantis on April 12 – 30 years to the day that Columbia soared on the first shuttle flight.
NASA planned to move Endeavour out to the launch pad Wednesday night for its April 19 liftoff, but delayed the trip until Thursday because bad weather was expected. The mission will be commanded by the husband of wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Mark Kelly. His identical twin brother Scott is currently the skipper of the space station; he returns to Earth next week on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
Atlantis is slated to make its last trip at the end of June.
NASA is under presidential direction to spread its wings beyond low-Earth orbit. The goal is to send astronauts to an asteroid and then Mars in the decades ahead. There is not enough money for NASA to achieve that and maintain the shuttle program at the same time. As a result, the shuttles will stop flying this summer after 30 years.
American astronauts will keep hitching rides to the space station on Russian capsules, until private companies are able to provide taxi service to and from orbit. NASA expects to get another nine years out of the space station.
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Comments (80)
auburntaylors96
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 4:47pmas americans we can be proud of our accomplishments in space….but now obama feels nasa should be conducting outreach to muslims so they feel better about their contributions to mankind….like car bombs, suicide bombers, stonings, beheadings, sharia and world domination. nice job barack!
Report Post »WestOfThePecos
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:48pmWhat’s missing from the report was the overall cost. I would be interested in knowing how much each of those 148 million miles cost.
Report Post »Bigliardi
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:30pmI will never forget one day in San Antonio…I was out running, heard this tremendous roar, looked up to see A 747 in a glide toward the runways at Kelly AFB, with the Space Shuttle riding piggyback….Don’t kknow which one it was, don’t care…..I get goose bumps just thinking about it…
Report Post »twofoot_trucker
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:23pmFrom Kill Devil Hills to the Sea of Tranquility in less than 70 years. Made possible only in America. Then the crown jewel of manned space flight, the shuttle comes along and we are able to use the same craft over and over.
And now we retire a shuttle designed to fly 100 missions after only 39. Even IF that particular shuttle is already fatigued to the point of being unsafe, the platform is proven. It works. And we retire it with nothing to replace it, making us dependent on the Soviets to get us into space the next few years. Makes perfect sense.
Report Post »NotPC
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:35pmShould rename it the USS Obama in his honor….. A true thank you for killing the space program in the Great Country.
Report Post »whiskeyglenn
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:42pmKina makes me sad, to see the Space Shuttles retiring, I was on the ground at Edwards, and
Report Post »watched the Columbia, land for the first time in “81. I was an Loadmaster on a C-141, If the
Columbia landed anywhere but Edwards, we were supposed to load up and take a crew to service it.
NotPC
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:40pmI lived on Challenger way in Lancaster…. Used to watch it roll by on its way to plant 42 for its piggy back ride to Florida…. Sure miss those days….Made you proud even at 12 years old….Ohhh what we have become now…
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:42pmI just curious as to when they are going to make the “Shuttle Discovery gift shop and diner” Ill have the “Space Fries” with a coke please.
Report Post »dablooz
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:40pmLast landing, maybe not the last liftoff though. To dispose of the fleet and hold true to our ‘outreach to Muslims” in the space program, they’ll probably get some radicals, suit them up and have them fly the remaining shuttles into satellites that have become obsolete or maybe crash the shuttle into the moon.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:27pmI felt sad as I watched the landing. The shuttle was one of our greatest achievements. Now we have a POTUS who will cut the NASA budget so he can feed more welfare queens. Truly sad.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:51pmThank God. Can we finally de-fund useless NASA as well as NPR/PBS.
Report Post »moreteaplease
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:04pmI doubt Obama is going to let NASA be de-funded considering that he has directed NASA to sponsor Muslim pep rallies now.
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:50pmWell since NASA’s primary goal apparently has become catering to and babying muslims, they might as well eliminate NASA completely. Save some of our taxpayer money and stop catering to muslims in one fell swoop.
Report Post »Sergei
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:48pmSad to see it end…
Report Post »CENFLA
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:43pmBOOM…BOOM! The sound of America coming home from outer space!
Report Post »Thanks Obama for taking away one of the few things this country has left to be proud of.
Despite your efforts, GOD BLESS AMERICA!
SimpleTruths
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:12pmThe date the shuttle was set to retire happened a long time before Obama got in office. It’s raining today, that‘s probably Obama’s fault too.
Report Post »Beware of Romans
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:26pm“Houston…this is Discovery”
“We’ve circled the White House three times and could not find any signs of INTELLIGENT life. Do you copy?”
“Roger that Discovery………………..Prepare for Elections.”
“Roger.”
Report Post »TexasProgressive
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:48pmnice add
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:01pmGreat one Romans!
Report Post »goglenngo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 6:41pmLOL!!! Love it!
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:20pmI am so grateful to GOD that this mission went well and that Discovery is home safely.
May GOD bless all astronauts and all workers who have played a part in AMERICA’s exceptionalism.
Report Post »PIL
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:19pmThis is not so bad, exploring space and everything else should be handled by the private sector. Maybe NASA’s next mission should be: How to make money and explore space at the same time.
Michelle Obama’s Food Police.
Report Post »http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/2011/03/michelle-obamas-food-police.html
charliego
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:16pmAwesome, always!! Bravo to discovery for job well done!
Report Post »rds1945
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:10pmI remember the liberals of the 50‘s and 60’s that wanted to divert space exploration money to helping the poor. We have so much benefits from the space program in our daily lives. Thank goodness they didn’t get their way.
Report Post »firstlast
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:17pmWhat benefits? The space station? How do you benefit from space exploration in you daily lives? Thank God we didnt waste that money feeding the poor!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:29pm@firstlast
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:17pm
What benefits? The space station? How do you benefit from space exploration in you daily lives? Thank God we didnt waste that money feeding the poor!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How have we benefited from our space program? Are you kidding me?
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space_exploration/benefits.html
Report Post »flipper1073
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:42pmFIRSTLAST
Report Post »Hope you or someone in your family never gets breast cancer My wife did and I Thank God for space exploration
Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:55pm@firstlast – Actually we did spend that money feeding the poor. There would have been tens of thousands of engineers, scientists, technicians, laborers, janitors, maintenance workers, media spokespersons, construction workers, security personnel and thousands of contractors who would have gone hungry had it not been for the space program.
In your world we would have fed those not working for 4 decades and they‘d still be out of work plus we wouldn’t have the added benefits of technology spin-offs making life better for millions and not allowing upstanding TSA agents to see naked people going through airport scanners. Good plan.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:17pm@firstlast
Report Post »Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:17pm
What benefits? The space station? How do you benefit from space exploration in you daily lives? Thank God we didnt waste that money feeding the poor!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Better to keep your Progressive thoughts to yourself than you post them and broadcast your ignorance.
MightyBee27
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:08pmMy family and I just came back from the NASA Space Center and we were glued to the tv this morning waiting for it to land. It was an awesome experience for the kids to absorb what was going on. This is the true American spirit at work!
Report Post »NSDQ
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:07pmI always did like the description of “ ReEntry on the Shuttle is Alot Like Trying To Fly a Falling Brick ” lol, good on ya God Bless
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:20pmLOL – I had not heard that one!
Report Post »Bigliardi
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:38pmNational Searchlights, Dusters, Quads…?
Report Post »Gowen
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:04pmWell done discovery – you served well!!
Report Post »Tom in Tn
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:04pmWelcome Home Heros
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:02pmits a shame the administration is making attempts to end the space program, and a sin that they are politicizing a great program with its muslim outreach propaganda
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:18pmA lot of things are shameful about this administration.
Report Post »TexasProgressive
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:47pmso budget cuts are important unless it impacts something you like? Private enterprise is still building shuttles, launching satellites and putting astronauts into space…why do you need government to do that for you?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:14pm@TexasProgressive
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:47pm
so budget cuts are important unless it impacts something you like? Private enterprise is still building shuttles, launching satellites and putting astronauts into space…why do you need government to do that for you?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you kin to Broker, HowNowBrownMao, and others?
You just love to throw cold water on good news.
Report Post »SimpleTruths
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:04pmDeeper cuts to NASA were made in the Bush administration than under Obama.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 4:45pm@TexasProgressive
Missed the point altogether didn’t you? NASA does space exploration. If this was to be the last Space Shuttle flight then don’t make it a Muslim Outreach program and still call it NASA.
Report Post »SandyfromChesterfield
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 5:52pmThis is one of the ways obama said he was going to “transform America”. We need to stop being politically correct and expose obama for the socialist agenda he wants for America.
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:59amJob well done, astronauts!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:13pmI love a success story, particularly for NASA!
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:19pmI still remember exactly where I was when the Challenger exploded. I was on final approach in a 747 inbound Honolulu Intl.
Sad day. Sad week.
I’m glad this flight ended well.
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:41pmNASA – One of the greatest prides of this country – no longer reaching out to the stars….new mission…dictated by Obama – Reach out to the Muslims and make them feel good about themselves.
I remember the pride in the Apollo missions (and awe around the world). I remember Reagan when Challenger exploded….America that was, and will be no more if we continue on the destructive path this Administration is hellbent for.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 11:58amDid Al Gore invent that as well… the perfect landing that is?
Report Post »Dale
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:06pmDid al gore invent anything, let alone anything perfect?
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:06pmAl Gore most likely will claim credit for it as the era comes to a close for this shuttle.
All we can now do is salute and say “Well Done.”
Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:16pmLive in Florida about 45 minutes south of the space center and just heard the 2 sonic booms about 20 minutes ago. They always make me think a bomb has just gone off. Farewell Discovery.
Report Post »BreeZee
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:37pmSeeing a shuttle lift off is one of the greatest moments, seeing it land is another. I remember the first one I saw (Columbia) and how proud I was to be an AMERICAN. Some of us unlike M Obamma are always proud of our country. Thanx Discovery, and all her crews for a job well done.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:38pmNow NASA can get down to the new role that Obama has laid out for them…..Muslim Outreach.
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:59pmWho’s going to put into orbit all of the NSA sattelites to monitor Americans now?
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:25pm@Dale
Man Made Global Warming™
Report Post »AzDebi
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:29pmI heard a gentleman call into a talk radio show yesterday and he said that he works on the shuttle…said she is in as good a shape as she was the day she flew her first mission! What a testament to our country. NASA has improved lives throughout our country and the entire world! I once read a list of all the things invented because of our space mission…NASA is another program Obama has chosen to attack…2012 can’t get here soon enough!
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:59pmHu will is the leader of the nation that will be the super power in space…Shame Shame mr “O”.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:54pmI am actually straight across the state on the west coast and I heard them also. Thanks Obama for one more step backwards. But maybe the Middle East has improved their math and science scores since the head of NASA has traveled there. Of course there may not be anyone left over there except extremists by the time the smoke clears.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:24pmI was at a meeting and had to miss the boom boom .. as it was scheduled to go over my house on the landing pattern today .. .
sad to say the least at what the “space program” is becoming … perhaps after 2012 we can have a real American President .. I don’t care where Obama was born .. he is not proud of America and our way of life.
Report Post »Bigliardi
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:26pmI am not sure, but I think algore had something to do with the invention of the art of unashamed self aggrandizing lying…..He invented the internet, he and Tipper were the inspiration for “Love Story,“ and lately ”global warming..“ ”An Inconvenient Truth“ should be renamed ”If You Buy Into This Kook Theory, You Will Make Me Rich Beyond Even My Wildest Dreams”
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:29pm@GRANDMAOF5
We must live quite close to each other.
Report Post »oldwhiteguy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:32pmLet me get this straight, we are retiring the shuttle fleet and investing billions of dollars in trains…….Exactly what subjects did Heir Barry take in school and did he pass any of them.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:37pm@OLDWHITEGUY
Why do you think Obama won’t release his records? .. school included .. nuts isn’t .. and don’t forget we are going to PAY the Russians to take our people to the Space Station … idiotic to say the least.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 4:06pmBIGLIARDI, you forgot the rest of that, “and then you can have amassage therapist on both coasts to assault”. Yuck, I need to puke.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 7:03pmWell done NASA!
Report Post »Now get busy making muslims feel good about themselves.
Point out the scientific accomplishments of Islam……………….
Um…….ah………..it’s on the tip of my tongue………….