Its a sad day for those of us who grew up the Shuttle Fleet.

Thanks for your service Discovery you will be missed!





Bolden, Lindsey Mark Discovery's Successful Flight
Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:06:05 PM EST


About two hours after space shuttle Discovery's final return from space, the crew of the shuttle and NASA officials took a few moments on the runway at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to mark the spacecraft's accomplishments. Discovery spent a year in space during the course of its 39 missions, the first of which launched in August 1984. This shuttle carried NASA's Hubble Space Telescope into orbit and made both of the shuttle program's return-to-flight missions. Its roster of astronauts includes Charles Bolden, now administrator of the space agency.

"This is very bittersweet for all of us," Bolden said this afternoon. "Discovery holds a special place for me and for (Kennedy Space Center Director) Bob Cabana over here because we both had the opportunity to fly on it twice."

The shuttle enjoyed a flawless mission to the International Space Station that saw the astronauts deliver the last pressurized module to the orbiting laboratory, the Permanent Multipurpose Module. Robonaut 2, a groundbreaking humanoid robot, also made the trip into space with Discovery, remaining on the station to act as an assistant to the crews there. Discovery's crew also enjoyed perfect weather at Kennedy that allowed them to return to Earth on the first opportunity of the day.

"I am so glad we got to land here at Kennedy, the home of Discovery," STS-133 Commander Steve Lindsey said. "My crew did a fantastic job, we accomplished every objective, plus a whole bunch more. As the minutes pass, I'm actually getting sadder and sadder about this being the last flight and I know all the folks involved with the shuttle program feel the same way."

The post-landing press conference is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. EST on NASA TV.

Hail Discovery! Welcome home!

According to NASA, the Discovery, after its 1984 maiden voyage:

Flew to space more than any other shuttle, logging 39 missions under its belt -- almost 150 million miles -- and bringing more astronauts (nearly 250) into orbit than any other vehicle.

Was the first spacecraft to retrieve a satellite and return it to Earth (1984).

Became the only shuttle to fly four times in one year, and one of those missions included the first sitting member of Congress, Utah Sen. Jake Garn (1985).

Carried the historic Hubble Space Telescope to orbit (1990).

Welcomed the first cosmonaut, Sergei Krikalev, to fly on an American spacecraft (1994).

Followed that up as the first shuttle to rendezvous with the Russian Mir Space Station. That mission also featured the first woman, Eileen Collins, to ever pilot an American spacecraft, as well as the first African-American, Bernard Harris Jr., to perform a spacewalk (1995).

Returned Sen. John Glenn -- the first American to orbit Earth in 1962 -- to space, where he became the oldest human to fly in space at the age of 77. (1998)

Restored America's will to continue the space program by being the first shuttle that returned to space (1988 and 2005) after the losses of both the Challenger and Columbia.

Delivered Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, to the International Space Station (2011).

As NASA prepares to end the shuttle program this year, one possible retirement home for Discovery may be in a prime display area at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington.

But the space agency is holding off revealing plans for the final resting places of Discovery and its siblings Endeavour and Atlantis until April 12, the 30th anniversary of the first space shuttle flight.

Read more here: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/09/space-shuttle-discovery-rides-off-into-history/