With Space Shuttle Discovery Final Landing The End Of An Era Begins

Yesterday, Space Shuttle "Discovery" landed for the final time at Kennedy Space Center, thus closing out its 39th and final mission of a career that began way back on August 30, 1984. When "Discovery" landed yesterday, the first of the last shuttle flights was completed. Now, back on Earth, Discovery will go in for a refurbishment that will prep the shuttle for its truly final mission as a main exhibit at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum. After "Discovery" landed for the first time, there was the customary press conference. Commenting on the ageless shuttle, mission commander Steve Lindsey stated that "if you think of a vehicle that's 27 years old, you never see a vehicle that age that never comes back with no flaws, however Discovery did just that, she functioned flawlessly." NASA chief Charles Bolden also went on to praise Discovery, saying that "Discovery" is an amazing spacecraft and she has served her country well." Perhaps that was a bit of an understatement. Of all the space shuttles, Discovery is the most historic as its accomplishments read like a shopping list.Visited two space stations (Russian "Mir" and the ISS)Last shuttle to visit "Mir"First shuttle to visit ISS and would make the most trips (13) thereFirst shuttle to retrieve satellite and bring it back to Earth Was first in flight after both the "Challenger" and "Columbia" disastersLaunched the Hubble Space Telescope Flew more flights, traveled more miles, and carried more astronauts into space than any other shuttleFirst American spacecraft to take a foreigner, cosmonaut Sergei Kirkalev, into spaceFeatured first female pilot, Eileen CollinsOnly shuttle to fly 4 times in a yearFeatured first African American to walk in space Flew 100th shuttle missionCarried first sitting member of Congress into spaceTook space legend John Glenn back into orbit at age 77Needless to say, in 27 years of flight, "Discovery" did America proud. Now, the focus at NASA is on the final two space shuttle missions. "Endeavor," the youngest shuttle in the fleet, is set to launch for the last time in April while "Atlantis", which was intended to have flown its final mission last year, will get one last ride into space come June. For more on Discovery:NASA Photographic TributeNASA Discovery Carrier TributeLink to photo gallery from final missionComplete STS-133 Mission CoverageHUMBLE REQUESTS:If you found this informative (or at least entertaining), help me pay my bills and check out my Examiner pages for photography and astronomy for more great stuff. If you think this was cool, why not tell a friend? For something even better, follow this blog.

Credit: shieldufoproject.blogspot.com