Space shuttle Discovery has rolled to its final wheels stop.
On Thursday evening (April 19), after an astronaut-studded ceremony that saw its formal transfer from NASA to the Smithsonian, Discovery was towed into its new and permanent home, the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
"Today, Discovery takes on a new mission — less dynamic perhaps — but just as important," said former Senator John Glenn, who in 1998 flew onboard Discovery more than three decades after becoming the first American to orbit the Earth. "It will be on display not only as a testament to our time but also an inspiration to future generations. It will be a symbol for our nation that spaceflight presents optimism and hope and challenge and leadership, and aspiration to explore and to excel. And that's a big mission in its own right."
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 22, 2012 04:32 AM
Discovery is now on display in the Udvar-Hazy Center's McDonnell Space Hangar, but there still remains some work before NASA's Space Shuttle Transition and Retirement team can leave OV-103.
The tailcone is being removed (it is needed to ferry Endeavour); OMS pod engine bells will be installed (they are currently sitting in the museum's restoration hangar); the replica SSMEs will be repositioned; the crew cabin is being configured as desired by the Smithsonian (e.g. some of the middeck seats are being placed in the stowed for orbit position to de-clutter the deck) and the umbilical and vent doors are being closed.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 22, 2012 04:33 AM
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 87 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted April 24, 2012 04:16 PM
Questions:
What were technicians doing inside of Discovery?
Has the tail cone been removed?
Lastly, what will become of Discovery's flag?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 24, 2012 05:17 PM
Answers:
The Smithsonian requested that some of the crew seats on the middeck be stowed as they were on orbit, in part to represent that particular configuration but also to make it easier to maneuver should researchers want to gain access to the crew cabin later.
The seats could not fly stowed during the ferry flight and so the work needed to wait until Discovery was in the museum.
The tailcone has been removed. You can see an aft view of Discovery on the Udvar-Hazy Center's webcam. (The replica engines, at least of this posting are still configured for the ferry flight but will be flared out to better represent their position at landing.)
Discovery's flag is remaining with the Smithsonian and plans are to display it alongside the orbiter.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 25, 2012 08:54 AM
NASA public affairs update
At the Smithsonian Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center adjacent to Dulles, NASA and United Space Alliance (USA) engineers continue to prepare space shuttle Discovery for final display.
Tuesday the protective tailcone was removed from the aft end of the orbiter exposing the replica space shuttle main engines. Additionally, support struts are being installed today in the aft compartment.
Remaining work includes installation of the engine nozzles for the orbital maneuvering system pods on the back end of the shuttle and preparing the vehicle for final display positioning.
The tailcone from Discovery will be returned to Kennedy Space Center in Florida and used for shuttle Endeavour's ferry to California this fall.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 26, 2012 09:12 AM
The following work was completed on Wednesday towards displaying Discovery (via NASA public affairs):
Body flap has been positioned at null
Body flap carrier panel installations and closeouts are in work
All vent doors have been closed
SSME ferry struts to position engines are in work
Collapsed landing gear struts for jack down tomorrow
Tailcone fitting removals and break down preps are in work
APG85 Member
Posts: 186 From: Registered: Jan 2008
posted April 26, 2012 08:25 PM
Just curious... why was the vehicle put up on full jacks? Are they going to lower it onto some kind of floor stands like they do for other aircraft (so the tires aren't actually touching the floor long term) or did this have something to do with the struts? Thanks!
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 26, 2012 08:43 PM
The vehicle had to be leveled to remove the tailcone, but Discovery will be displayed on posts so that it is not sitting on its gear (which are the same tires and gear on which it landed from its last spaceflight in March 2011).
APG85 Member
Posts: 186 From: Registered: Jan 2008
posted April 27, 2012 11:04 PM
Just checked the webcam. It appears that the work on Discovery is complete and she has been "put to bed"...
p51 Member
Posts: 331 From: Olympia, WA, USA Registered: Sep 2011
posted April 28, 2012 01:38 AM
My brother took this shot just yesterday, the lucky bugger drives past Dulles every day on his way home from DC...
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 28, 2012 12:56 PM
Discovery now fully on display with its Canadarm remote manipulator system:
FullThrottle Member
Posts: 72 From: Seattle, WA, USA Registered: Sep 2010
posted April 28, 2012 03:10 PM
Is the nosecone the original one first installed on Discovery? Did it fly all 39 missions or were the nosecones switched around? Is the cone even removable? Is this reinforced carbon-carbon material identical to the leading edge of the wings?
Seeing the contrast of wear and tear between heavily flown, hardly flown and newer tiles is really cool! I ask about the nose cone because its coloring looks to have survived incredibly well for 39 trips into space and back, compared to the heat and plasma soaked HRSI tiles along the bottom of the shuttle.
Any tiles make it the whole life of Discovery on all flights or were they 100% replaced along the way? If so, how many original 39 flight tiles survived?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 28, 2012 07:07 PM
quote:Originally posted by FullThrottle: Any tiles make it the whole life of Discovery on all flights or were they 100% replaced along the way?
According to NASA, approximately 80% of the tiles on each of the vehicles are original to their maiden flight.
I believe the nose cap is original to each vehicle, too and they are made from RCC, just as the wings' leading edge.
Hart Sastrowardoyo Member
Posts: 1664 From: Toms River, NJ,USA Registered: Aug 2000
posted April 29, 2012 06:49 AM
It would be neat if they had a placard stating that, along with, "But Discovery also carries/carried components which flew on other Orbiters," along with a listing of what those components are.
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 87 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted April 29, 2012 05:54 PM
Why weren't the OMS engines attached after the pods returned from New Mexico and instead attached in Chantilly?
GoesTo11 Member
Posts: 777 From: Denver, CO USA Registered: Jun 2004
posted April 29, 2012 06:29 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: According to NASA, approximately 80% of the tiles on each of the vehicles are original to their maiden flight.
That's actually pretty amazing... I wouldn't have guessed it would be anywhere near that many, especially given the problems with the TPS early in the program.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted April 29, 2012 06:32 PM
quote:Originally posted by SpaceAngel: Why weren't the OMS engines attached after the pods returned from New Mexico and instead attached in Chantilly?
I don't know for certain, but all that remains of the orbital maneuvering system are the pods' shells and nozzles. The nozzles may not have been secure enough to be approved for flight.
psloss Member
Posts: 11 From: Registered: Jun 2011
posted April 29, 2012 07:37 PM
quote:Originally posted by SpaceAngel: Why weren't the OMS engines attached after the pods returned from New Mexico and instead attached in Chantilly?
As Robert noted, the nozzles are the only part of the engine left.
Something that the nozzle can attach to might work for static display, but not so much for one or more ferry flights/hops.
The below links are to NASA pictures (taken during repairs affected during the STS-111 launch campaign) that show the part of the engine that the nozzle was attached to in a flight configuration; it's likely all of that is gone: 1 | 2 | 3
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 87 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted May 09, 2012 03:09 PM
What will become of the robotic arm, that's right beside "Discovery"?
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted May 09, 2012 03:28 PM
It now belongs to the Smithsonian, and is on permanent display besides Discovery (whether it continues to be exhibited in its support rig or some other display fixture is still to be seen).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 24667 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted May 16, 2012 08:05 PM
The Washington Post reports that STS-51G payload specialist Sultan Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud stopped by to see his ride to space.
Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia — the first Arab astronaut to go into space — dropped by the Udvar-Hazy Center Tuesday to see Discovery, the shuttle he flew on in 1985 as a payload specialist. "I arrived a little late to D.C. last night," he joked, "because I was on a plane that only goes 500 miles an hour, as opposed to the shuttle I flew that went 1,800 miles an hour." (Astronaut humor!) The Saudi royal was in town for the Smithsonian's Sackler exhibition "Roads of Arabia" coming this fall as part of the museum's 25th anniversary.
glcanon Member
Posts: 12 From: Houston Registered: Mar 2011
posted June 03, 2012 10:30 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: I believe the nose cap is original to each vehicle, too and they are made from RCC, just as the wings' leading edge.
Actually, you may recall that Discovery received a new nosecone prior to its Return to Flight mission.
Also, some of the RCC panels on the right wing leading edge were used for the tests to demonstrate what happened to Columbia, so those RCC panels were replaced brand new on the Return to Flight mission as well.
posted June 17, 2012 07:53 PM
I just got back from a whirlwind holiday that took family and I to Washington DC, Baltimore, New York and a cruise to Bermuda. Having missed Spacefest because we were moving our office this was my alternative.
Had a great time and had a chance to get to see Discovery at her new home at the Udvar-Hazy Center. This was my first visit there and anyone heading to DC it is well worth the trip out that way just to see Discovery but also see the amazing display of aircraft at this state of the art museum.
I spent a great deal of time photographing Discovery from nose to tail, wingtip to wingtip and there were few people around.
It's a great chance to see this wonderful workhorse up close and personal. Great display.
posted April 20, 2012 12:22 AM
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