1. 18 Oct



    John Muratore, my good friend, fellow flight director, and then the head of the shuttle program Systems Engineering and Integration office informed me in very flat terms that he was in the JSC video lab with head photo interpreter Cindy Evans who had uncovered evidence of a large foam liberation during the critical mach number regime which appeared to have impacted the left wing of Discovery. Just like Columbia.

    I was numb.

    I made an illegal U-turn in the middle of NASA Road 1 and definitely exceeded the posted speed limit heading back to JSC and the photo lab. Here is one still frame from the video they showed me: A very large piece of foam coming off the tank heading for the wing.

    I thought I would not be able to breathe again.

    I thought of Eileen and her crew and how we had probably just killed them.

    I thought of all the work and time and how wasted it had been.

    I had no idea how I could possibly tell the team, the world, what had transpired.

    — Wayne Hale, former Space Shuttle Program Manager, writing about “How We Nearly Lost Discovery”
     

  2. 18 Apr


    usagov: Image description: This morning the Space Shuttle Discovery took a final flight around Washington, D.C. perched on top of a 747 jet before being transferred to its final resting place in the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. The remaining space shuttles will be transferred to various museums and visitors centers throughout the country. Space Shuttle Enterprise is scheduled to head to New York on April 23. Space Shuttle Atlantis will be moved to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the new visitor center to open as early as summer 2013. Space Shuttle Endeavour will rest in the California Science Center in Los Angeles, tentatively slated to happen in later 2012. Learn more about NASA’s special 747 jet that transfers the shuttles after their missions are complete. If you were in DC today and saw the shuttle fly by, you can share your photos from the event. Photo by NASA.

    usagov:

    Image description: This morning the Space Shuttle Discovery took a final flight around Washington, D.C. perched on top of a 747 jet before being transferred to its final resting place in the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

    The remaining space shuttles will be transferred to various museums and visitors centers throughout the country.

    Learn more about NASA’s special 747 jet that transfers the shuttles after their missions are complete.

    If you were in DC today and saw the shuttle fly by, you can share your photos from the event.

    Photo by NASA.

     

  3. 17 Apr


    think-progress: Space shuttle, on top of a plane, on top of the White House. via

    think-progress:

    Space shuttle, on top of a plane, on top of the White House.

    via

     

  4. 17 Apr


    theatlantic: One more shot of the Space Shuttle Discovery over DC. This one is awfully close. [via Katy Daily]

    theatlantic:

    One more shot of the Space Shuttle Discovery over DC. This one is awfully close.

    [via Katy Daily]

     

  5. 17 Apr


    shortformblog: The Space Shuttle Discovery, chillin’ over the Capitol. The shuttle, decommissioned last year after a long career with many miles logged, is flying to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to become a part of it. (shot by @DaveStroup, ht @ProducerMatthew)

    shortformblog:

    The Space Shuttle Discovery, chillin’ over the Capitol. The shuttle, decommissioned last year after a long career with many miles logged, is flying to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum to become a part of it. (shot by @DaveStroup, ht @ProducerMatthew)

     

  6. 17 Apr


    Space Shuttle Discovery at Dulles International Airport.

    Space Shuttle Discovery at Dulles International Airport.

     

  7. 17 Apr


    Space Shuttle Discovery on approach and landed at Dulles International Airport, before being taken to the Udvar-Hazy Center annex of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Va.

    (Source: nasa.gov)

     

  8. 16 Apr


    reuters: The space shuttle Discovery is shown attached to a modified NASA 747 aircraft at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida April 16, 2012. Discovery is expected to be flown to its final home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia on April 17. [REUTERS/Joe Skipper]

    reuters:

    The space shuttle Discovery is shown attached to a modified NASA 747 aircraft at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida April 16, 2012. Discovery is expected to be flown to its final home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia on April 17. [REUTERS/Joe Skipper]

    (via npr)

     

  9. 28 Mar


    Hubble Space Telescope being deployed from Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-31.

    (Source: spacetelescope.org)

     

  10. 15 Jul


    sentiostudio: Servicing the HST After its second servicing mission, the Hubble Space Telescope begins its separation from the Space Shuttle Discovery on February 19, 1997. © Copyright 1997 NASA. All rights reserved.

    sentiostudio:

    Servicing the HST

    After its second servicing mission, the Hubble Space Telescope begins its separation from the Space Shuttle Discovery on February 19, 1997.

    © Copyright 1997 NASA. All rights reserved.

     

  11. 14 Jul


    chaseclark: Sad day as a stripped down Discovery limps along the road between OPF-2 and the VAB where she is being placed for temporary storage.

    chaseclark:

    Sad day as a stripped down Discovery limps along the road between OPF-2 and the VAB where she is being placed for temporary storage.

     

  12. 8 Jul


    The moon is seen near the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-119 as it sits on the launch pad while it is prepared for launch March 11, 2009 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Discovery is being prepared for the scheduled launch date of March 11, 2009 on a mission to the international space station. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)

    The moon is seen near the Space Shuttle Discovery STS-119 as it sits on the launch pad while it is prepared for launch March 11, 2009 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Discovery is being prepared for the scheduled launch date of March 11, 2009 on a mission to the international space station. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images)

     

  13. 7 Jul


    In this image provided by NASA rollout of space shuttle Discovery is slow-going due to the onset of lightning in the area of Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion of the shuttle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 2:07 a.m.Tuesday Aug. 4, 2009. Launch of Discovery on its STS-128 mission is targeted for late August. (AP Photo courtesy of Justin Dernier, EPA

    In this image provided by NASA rollout of space shuttle Discovery is slow-going due to the onset of lightning in the area of Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion of the shuttle out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 2:07 a.m.Tuesday Aug. 4, 2009. Launch of Discovery on its STS-128 mission is targeted for late August. (AP Photo courtesy of Justin Dernier, EPA

     

  14. 2 Jul


    The Space Shuttle Discovery cuts a bright swath through the early-morning darkness as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on a scheduled 10-day flight to service the Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA)

    The Space Shuttle Discovery cuts a bright swath through the early-morning darkness as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on a scheduled 10-day flight to service the Hubble Space Telescope. (NASA)

     

  15. 2 Jul


    The space shuttle orbiter Discovery lands on Edwards Air Force Base in California, following completion of the 26th Space Transportation System mission. (Tech. Sgt. Mike Haggerty/USAF)

    The space shuttle orbiter Discovery lands on Edwards Air Force Base in California, following completion of the 26th Space Transportation System mission. (Tech. Sgt. Mike Haggerty/USAF)