Space shuttle Discovery makes final takeoff

[Hum]

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL ? After three decades of space service, NASA's oldest and most traveled shuttle, Discovery, began its new life as a museum relic Tuesday with one final takeoff.

Discovery departed Florida's Kennedy Space Center at daybreak Tuesday aboard a modified jumbo jet bound for Washington, where it will become a Smithsonian exhibit.

Nearly 2,000 people -- former shuttle workers, VIPs, tourists and journalists -- gathered along the old shuttle landing strip to see Discovery off. A cheer went up as the plane taxied down the runway and soared into a clear sky.

The plane and shuttle headed south and made one last flight over the beaches of Cape Canaveral -- thousands jammed the shore for a glimpse of Discovery -- then returned to the space center in a final salute. Cheers erupted once more as the pair came in low over the runway it had left 20 minutes earlier and finally turned toward the north.

A similar flyover was planned over the monuments in the nation's capital, later in the morning.

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[Farstrider]

Yup, end of an era!

[Dot Matrix]

RIP American Innovation. :/

[Salty Wagyu]

Do a barrel roll!

[DocM]

She just landed and will head to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum Annex later this week. The 747 will transport the Enterprise to NYC on Monday.

"Innovation?". 1960's and 1970's tech. The shuttles were only supposed to fly until the early 1990's, to be replaced by the HL-20, HL-40 and later the Venture Star, but political pressures from the House and Senate members with Shuttle facilities in their districts killed the competition. Innovation inthe US space program died with Venture Star.

HL-20 is now being developed by Sierra Nevada Corp. as the Dream Chaser for NASA's Commercial Crew program. Dream Chaser starts its glide testing this summer.

Dream Chaser

Venture Star

[moloko]

This shuttle is going to the smithsonian museum in Dulles, VA. What happened to the shuttle that was already there? Is that one going somewhere else?

EDIT just read it again. Enterprise going to NY.