CHANTILLY, Virginia, United States — The Space Shuttle Discovery, NASA's most accomplished orbiter, on prominent display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. This historic spacecraft, which flew 39 missions over nearly three decades, now serves as a centerpiece exhibit, showcasing the achievements of the Space Shuttle program and American space exploration.
Photograph by David Coleman. The Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) was NASA's third space-rated orbiter and the most-flown spacecraft in history. Launched into service in 1984, Discovery completed 39 missions, spending a total of 365 days in space and traveling 148,221,675 miles over its operational life. Notable missions included deploying the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990, carrying Project Mercury astronaut John Glenn on his return to space in 1998, and numerous flights to the International Space Station. After its retirement in 2011, Discovery was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution and placed on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. The Udvar-Hazy Center, opened in 2003, is an annex of the National Air and Space Museum designed to display the Smithsonian's larger aviation and space artifacts. Discovery's exhibit allows visitors to view the orbiter up close, showcasing the complex thermal protection system tiles, the cargo bay, and other intricate details of the spacecraft. The shuttle's presence at the museum serves as a powerful testament to human ingenuity and the achievements of the space program, offering visitors a tangible connection to the era of space shuttle exploration and inspiring future generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers.
Size: 7360px × 4912px
Location: Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, Virginia, United States
Photo credit: © David Coleman | Have Camera Will Travel / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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