“ Discovery is incredibly large,” says curator Jennifer Levasseur. “It flew incredibly diverse types of missions, including military, science and space station supply and construction.” “ Discovery was the most used of all the Space Shuttles,” Levasseur says. In 1999, Discovery was also the first Space Shuttle to dock with the International Space Station, currently orbiting at 254 miles above Earth. It flew three missions for the Hubble Space Telescope program-deployment in 1990 and servicing in 19-as well as the first and final flights to the Mir space station. The exterior, covered with protection tiles, is scarred with the "incredibly violent proces of traveling through the atmosphere," says the curator.Īmong its firsts, Discovery was flown by Eileen Collins, the first female spacecraft pilot, in 1995 and by the first women commanders, Collins in 2005 and Pamela Melroy in 2006, as well as the first African American commander, Frederick Gregory in 1989. It has such an important story to tell in terms of human spaceflight, the reasons why we go into space and what we learn from being there.” “For the Smithsonian, it is one of the signature space artifacts. “ Discovery is a real highlight of the National Air and Space Museum,” Levasseur says. All told, it spent a year-365 days-in space and participated in every type of mission planned for the Space Shuttles. Metal loops protect the switches and dials from accidental activation, a holdover from older spacecraft like the Apollo 11 command module.įrom 1984 through its retirement in 2011, Discovery flew a record 39 missions and traveled nearly 150 million miles. This workhorse went through a number of refurbishments to last as long as it did.”Ī view of Discovery's cockpit shows the commander's seat at left and the pilot's seat with straps that kept them secure during launch and re-entry. We refer to it as the ‘Champion of the Fleet.’ It is a singular example of the technology that was developed in the 1970s. It flew the most number of missions and most number of miles. “With the loss of Columbia, Discovery became the most experienced Space Shuttle. “After the loss of Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003, it was flown on the very first mission on each occasion. “It actually flew both ‘Return to Flight’ missions,” says Jennifer Levasseur, museum curator of Discovery. McDonnell Space Hangar at the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, the enormous artifact’s historical significance soars beyond that one mission. Today, Discovery is the 172,000-pound centerpiece of space exhibits at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Two days later, the historic Space Shuttle went on permanent display. The aircraft, carrying its cargo, made several passes over the city of Washington, D.C. It was a nervous moment as the NASA launch commentator counted down: “3, 2, 1, 0 and lift off! Lift off! America’s return to space!” About 8 1/2 minutes later, Discovery eased into orbit around Earth with nary a glitch while billions of people let out a collective sigh of relief.ĭiscovery arrived at the Smithsonian on April 17, 2012, transported aboard a Boeing 747. 28, 1986, when the rocket exploded shortly after takeoff, killing all seven astronauts on board? Would there be a repeat of that terrible day on Jan. All eyes were on the television showing the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, many daring not to blink in case tragedy should strike again.ĭiscovery was ready to go back into the weightless expanse-the first Space Shuttle mission since the Challenger disaster nearly three years earlier. In today's world of immediate demand for information, "that creates this very distinct line between what news organizations will and won't share, and what the every day man on the street will and won't share.As the countdown ticked closer to liftoff on September 29, 1988, the world held its breath. A similar statement can be made when discussing footage of other tragedies, like the 9/11 terror attacks. ", you realize not only has something gone wrong, but you've witnessed the death of several brave Americans, including a civilian," Schulman explained. This also creates a question of, ethically, what media outlets can and should share - especially when an event happens live. There's a whole different dynamic in sharing news and obtaining news." "Now you have the 'any man' camera constantly poised on the street. After Challenger: NASA triumphs of the past 30 years 31 photos It is not only journalists and experts who are contributing to the conversation, Shulman says, but also every day citizens.
In today's world, the massive reach of cable news outlets and social media has changed the way citizens consume live events - from shootings, to terror attacks, to weather events.
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