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Space Shuttle Discovery, Air and Space Museum

 

The solution to our latest One Clue Mystery was solved by George G and Scott O'Leary, who recognized that we were looking at the Space Shuttle Discovery .

01 Discovery

04 Discovery

When the Space Shuttle program was discontinued in the early years of the Obama administration, museums around the world scrambled for the right to receive and exhibit one of the four remaining shuttles.   It seems highly appropriate that one of these unique spacecraft should find its final home at the prestigious Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (located in Virginia, close to Washington Dulles Airport, about a half hour's drive from downtown DC).  

05a Discovery

06 Discovery

Situated in a separate wing of the Udvar-Hazy Center with other relics of space travel (especially an impressive collection of satellites), the Shuttle is one of the Center's prized exhibits.  The shuttle Discovery and it's Canadian space arm (which was featured in our photo clue) is parked so that you can walk around it and study its design and construction.  You can see its many details, like the individualized silicone tiles that protect it from heat as it re-enters the earth's atmosphere, powerful engines, or the cargo bay doors.

07 Discovery

09 Discovery

The longest-serving orbiter, Discovery flew 39 times from 1984 through 2011 — more missions than any of its sister ships.  In total, Discovery spent 365 days in space and among its highlights are:

- Deploying and later servicing the Hubble Space Telescope
- Delivering and retrieving a variety of satellites
- First non-astronaut to fly on a space shuttle, Charles Walker (1984)
- Flown by first African American commander (Frederick Gregory) and female commander (Eileen Collins)
- Made first docking with International Space Station (1999)

10 Discovery

11 Discovery

There's a lot else to see at this fine museum, like the Anola Gay, a concord, and many historic aircraft.  We'll take a look at some of these in the near future.

12 Discovery

14 Discovery

Attachments

Images (11)
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
  • Space Shuttle Discovery, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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