Space Shuttle Discovery

The name Discovery was chosen to carry on a tradition based on ships of exploration, primarily {{HMS|Discovery|1774|6}},{{cite web|title=Discovery (OV-103)|url=http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html|website=science.ksc.nasa.gov|access-date=February 28, 2015|ref=Discovery, the third orbiter to become operational at Kennedy Space Center, was named after one of two ships that were used by the British explorer James Cook in the 1770s during voyages in the South Pacific that led to the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. Another of his ships was the Endeavour, the namesake of NASA's newest orbiter.|archive-date=February 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209023128/https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html|url-status=dead}} one of the ships commanded by Captain James Cook during his third and final major voyage from 1776 to 1779, and Henry Hudson's {{ship||Discovery|1602 ship|2}}, which was used in 1610–1611 to explore Hudson Bay and search for a Northwest Passage. Other ships bearing the name have included {{HMS|Discovery|1874|6}}{{cite web|title=How Did the Space Shuttle Discovery Get Its Name?|url=http://www.space.com/10908-space-shuttle-discovery-names-origin.html|website=Space.com|date=February 22, 2011|access-date=February 28, 2015|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402180910/http://www.space.com/10908-space-shuttle-discovery-names-origin.html|url-status=live}} of the 1875–1876 British Arctic Expedition to the North Pole, and {{ship|RRS|Discovery}}, which carried the 1901–1904 Discovery Expedition to Antarctica, led by Captain Scott.

Space Shuttle Discovery launched the Hubble Space Telescope and conducted the second and third Hubble service missions. It also launched the Ulysses probe and three TDRS satellites. Twice Discovery was chosen as the "Return To Flight" Orbiter, first in 1988 after the loss of Challenger in 1986, and then again for the twin "Return To Flight" missions in July 2005 and July 2006 after the Columbia disaster in 2003. Project Mercury astronaut John Glenn, who was 77 at the time, flew with Discovery on STS-95 in 1998, making him the oldest person to go into space at that time in history.

Had plans to launch United States Department of Defense payloads from Vandenberg Air Force Base gone ahead, Discovery would have become the dedicated US Air Force shuttle.{{cite web|title=Part II. Discovery (OV-103)|work=Space Transportation System Haer No. TX-116|url=http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/2.pdf|publisher=NASA.gov|access-date=February 28, 2015|archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022151008/https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/2.pdf|url-status=live}} Its first West Coast mission, STS-62-A, was scheduled for 1986, but canceled in the aftermath of the Challenger disaster.

On May 27, 1999, Discovery was launched on STS-96, the first shuttle mission to dock with the International Space Station.{{cite web | url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/archives/sts-96.html | title=STS-96 - NASA }}

Discovery was retired after completing its final mission, STS-133 on March 9, 2011. The spacecraft is now on display in Virginia at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.{{Cite news|url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/releaseDetail.cfm?releaseID=256|title=Space Shuttle Discovery Joins the National Collection|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=July 31, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121120846/http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/pressroom/releaseDetail.cfm?releaseID=256|archive-date=January 21, 2012}}

File:STS-41-D_Crew_Enjoying_Space_-_GPN-2004-00024.jpg, Henry Hartsfield, Michael L. Coats, Steven A. Hawley, Charles D. Walker, and Richard M. Mullane]]

File:SRBsepfromDiscovery07042006.png

File:STS-121 Discovery posing for inspection photos edit1.jpg on STS-121, its 'teardrop' feature clearly visible|alt=Discovery is approaching the International Space Station during STS-121. The payload in the shuttle's cargo compartment would be attached to the ISS later in the mission. The spaceship's unique 'teardrop' feature, consisting of several black tiles near the cockpit, is clearly visible.]]

File:Deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope (28248653761).jpg into orbit on April 25, 1990]]

During its construction, Discovery was fitted with several black tiles near the middle starboard window where there should have been white tiles. It is unknown if this was the result of a harmless manufacturing mishap or done intentionally to give a distinctive look to the shuttle. This feature has been called 'teardrop' and allowed Discovery to be told apart from the rest of the fleet without looking at its name, although often unnoticed by the uninitiated.{{Cite web |title=Tire marks and teardrop tiles: Smithsonian curator on shuttle Discovery at 30 years {{!}} collectSPACE |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082914a-shuttle-discovery-30th-anniversary.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=collectSPACE.com |archive-date=November 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221107194024/http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-082914a-shuttle-discovery-30th-anniversary.html |url-status=live }}

The spacecraft weighed roughly {{cvt|6870|lb|kg}} less than Columbia when it was brought into service due to optimalizations determined during the construction and testing of Enterprise, Columbia and Challenger.{{cite web|title=Space Shuttle Overview: Discovery (OV-103)|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html|publisher=NASA|access-date=March 10, 2011|archive-date=November 7, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107032526/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html|url-status=live}} Discovery weighs {{convert|6|lb}} heavier than Atlantis and {{convert|363|lb}} heavier than Endeavour after further weight-saving adjustments were made.{{cite news|title=Space Shuttle Discovery Facts|url=http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20110408/NEWS0208/110408015/Space-Shuttle-Discovery-facts|newspaper=Florida Today|date=April 10, 2011|access-date=May 1, 2011|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816221633/http://www.floridatoday.com/errors/404/|url-status=live}}

Part of the Discovery weight optimizations included the greater use of quilted AFRSI blankets rather than the white LRSI tiles on the fuselage, and the use of graphite epoxy instead of aluminum for the payload bay doors and some of the wing spars and beams.{{cite web|title=STS-41D Press Kit|url=http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/shuttle_pk/pk/Flight_012_STS-41D_Press_Kit.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=July 12, 2013|page=13|date=August 1984|quote=Graphite epoxy has replaced some internal aluminum spars and beams in the wings and in the payload bay doors.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315170409/http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/shuttle_pk/pk/Flight_012_STS-41D_Press_Kit.pdf|archive-date=March 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}

Upon its delivery to the Kennedy Space Center in 1983, Discovery was modified alongside Challenger to accommodate the liquid-fueled Centaur-G booster, which had been planned for use beginning in 1986 but was cancelled in the wake of the Challenger disaster.{{cite book|last=Lardas|first=Mark|title=Space Shuttle Launch System: 1972–2004|year=2012|publisher=Osprey Publishing|page=37}}

Beginning in late 1995, the orbiter underwent a nine-month Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP) in Palmdale, California. This included outfitting the vehicle with a fifth set of cryogenic tanks and an external airlock to support missions to the International Space Station. As with all the orbiters, it could be attached to the top of specialized aircraft and did so in June 1996 when it returned to the Kennedy Space Center, and later in April 2012 when sent to the Udvar-Hazy Center, riding piggy-back on a modified Boeing 747.

After STS-105, Discovery became the first of the orbiter fleet to undergo Orbiter Major Modification (OMM) period at the Kennedy Space Center. Work began in September 2002 to prepare the vehicle for Return to Flight. The work included scheduled upgrades and additional safety modifications.

{{Main|Space Shuttle retirement}}

{{multiple image

| align = right

| width = 200

| direction = vertical

| image1 = Discovery over Washington DC April 17 2012 National Mall last pass.jpg

| image2 = Space Shuttle Discovery landing at Dulles.jpg

| caption2 = SCA N905NA carrying Discovery on the last flyover of the National Mall at around 10:15 am EDT, during its 11:05 am landing at Dulles airport on April 17, 2012{{cite journal|last=Pearlman|first=Robert Z.|title=Space Shuttle Discovery lands, for the last time, in Washington, D.C.|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0417/Space-Shuttle-Discovery-lands-for-the-last-time-in-Washington-D.C|journal=The Christian Science Monitor|date=April 17, 2012|access-date=April 17, 2012|quote=The air- and spacecraft duo landed at Washington Dulles International Airport at 11:05 am EDT (1505 GMT).|archive-date=May 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515014638/https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0417/Space-Shuttle-Discovery-lands-for-the-last-time-in-Washington-D.C|url-status=live}}

}}

Discovery was decommissioned on March 9, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/iss_manifest.html|title=Consolidated Launch Manifest|access-date=October 10, 2007|publisher=NASA|year=2007|archive-date=October 13, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013001414/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/iss_manifest.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2007/04/nasa-sets-new-launch-date-targets-through-to-sts-124/|title=NASA sets new launch date targets through to STS-124|access-date=October 15, 2007|publisher=NASASpaceflight.com|year=2006|first=Chris|last=Bergin|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182207/http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2007/04/nasa-sets-new-launch-date-targets-through-to-sts-124/|url-status=live}} NASA offered Discovery to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum for public display and preservation, after a month-long decontamination process,{{cite web|last=Chow|first=Denise|title=Space Shuttle Discovery Lands on Earth After Final Voyage|date=March 9, 2011|url=http://www.space.com/11080-space-shuttle-discovery-final-landing.html|publisher=SPACE.com|access-date=March 10, 2011|archive-date=March 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311054117/http://www.space.com/11080-space-shuttle-discovery-final-landing.html|url-status=live}} as part of the national collection.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-121708a.html|title=NASA seeks shuttle suitors: Museums may need to cover the costs for retired orbiters|access-date=December 17, 2008|publisher=collectspace.com|year=2008|first=Robert|last=Pearlman|archive-date=January 26, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126203934/http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-121708a.html|url-status=live}}{{cite press release |url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-330_Shuttle_retirement.html |title=NASA Solicits Ideas for Displaying Retired Space Shuttles and Main Engines |publisher=NASA |date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=January 23, 2013 |archive-date=April 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406221514/http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-330_Shuttle_retirement.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6756689.html|title=Discovery is Smithsonian's|last=Berger|first=Eric|date=December 7, 2009|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=January 3, 2010|archive-date=January 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103091013/http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6756689.html|url-status=live}} Discovery replaced Enterprise, which was in the Smithsonian's display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center until 2011.{{cite web|last=Pearlman|first=Robert Z.|title=NASA Primes Retired Test Shuttle Enterprise For One Last Flight|url=http://www.space.com/8049-nasa-primes-retired-test-shuttle-enterprise-flight.html|work=Space.com|access-date=March 14, 2011|date=March 17, 2010|archive-date=February 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227010913/http://www.space.com/8049-nasa-primes-retired-test-shuttle-enterprise-flight.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-031510a.html |title=news – "NASA readies retired test shuttle Enterprise for one last flight" |publisher=collectSPACE |date=March 15, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2013 |archive-date=September 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913000946/http://collectspace.com/news/news-031510a.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news|title=NYC, L.A., Kennedy Space Center, Smithsonian to get the 4 retired space shuttles|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/04/kennedy-space-center-air-and-space-museum-likely-to-get-2-of-the-4-retiring-shuttle-vehicles/1|work=USA Today|date=April 12, 2011|access-date=April 12, 2011|archive-date=May 26, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526065357/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/04/kennedy-space-center-air-and-space-museum-likely-to-get-2-of-the-4-retiring-shuttle-vehicles/1|url-status=live}} Discovery was transported to Washington Dulles International Airport on April 17, 2012, and was transferred to the Udvar-Hazy on April 19 where a welcome ceremony was held. Afterwards, at around 5:30 pm, Discovery was rolled to its "final wheels stop" in the Udvar Hazy Center.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/discovery.cfm|title=Welcome, Discovery!|publisher=Smithsonian Air and Space Museum|access-date=January 30, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202111956/http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/discovery.cfm|archive-date=February 2, 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/the-scene/events/Space-Shuttle-Discovery-headed-to-the-Smithsonian-137975898.html|title=Udvar-Hazy Center Getting a 2nd Space Shuttle|author=Associated Press/NBC Washington|date=January 24, 2012|publisher=NBC Washington|access-date=January 30, 2012|archive-date=March 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306202346/http://www.nbcwashington.com/the-scene/events/Space-Shuttle-Discovery-headed-to-the-Smithsonian-137975898.html|url-status=live}}

{{multiple image

| align = right

| width = 200

| direction = vertical

| image1 = Enterprise and Discovery.jpg

| image2 = Space_Shuttle_Discovery_on_Display.jpg

| caption2 = Enterprise and Discovery exchanged and Discovery on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

}}

File:STS-48 UARS deployment.jpg

By its last mission, Discovery had flown {{convert|149|e6mi|e6km|abbr=unit}} in 39 missions, completed 5,830 orbits, and spent 365 days in orbit over 27 years.{{cite news|last=Dunn|first=Marcia|title=Space shuttle Discovery lands, ends flying career|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/51395407-68/discovery-space-nasa-shuttle.html.csp|agency=Associated Press|work=Salt Lake Tribune|access-date=March 10, 2011|date=March 9, 2011|archive-date=March 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315204103/http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/51395407-68/discovery-space-nasa-shuttle.html.csp|url-status=live}} Discovery flew more flights than any other Orbiter Shuttle, including four in 1985 alone. Discovery flew both "return to flight" missions after the Challenger and Columbia disasters: STS-26 in 1988, STS-114 in 2005, and STS-121 in 2006. Discovery flew the ante-penultimate mission of the Space Shuttle program, STS-133, having launched on February 24, 2011. Endeavour flew STS-134 and Atlantis performed STS-135, NASA's last Space Shuttle mission. On February 24, 2011, Space Shuttle Discovery launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A to begin its final orbital flight.{{cite news|last=Travis|first=Matthew|title=STS-133 space shuttle Discovery launches for the final time|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eovKxCccMc| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211110/2eovKxCccMc| archive-date=November 10, 2021 | url-status=live|agency=The Spacearium, SpaceflightNews.net via YouTube|access-date=June 23, 2011|date=February 24, 2011}}{{cbignore}}

{{sticky header}}

‡ Longest shuttle mission for Discovery

– shortest shuttle mission for Discovery

File:Space Shuttle Discovery Tribute.jpg

The Flow Director was responsible for the overall preparation of the shuttle for launch and processing it after landing, and remained permanently assigned to head the spacecraft's ground crew while the astronaut flight crews changed for every mission. Each shuttle's Flow Director was supported by a Vehicle Manager for the same spacecraft. Space Shuttle Discovery's Flow Directors were:

• Until 01/1991: John J. "Tip" Talone Jr. (afterwards Flow Director for Endeavour){{cite web|url=http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/status/r5-91.ksc|title=KSC Names Two Space Shuttle Flow Directors|id=KSC Release No. 5-91|date=January 8, 1991|last1=Malone|first1=Lisa|access-date=September 8, 2013|archive-date=January 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101160554/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/status/r5-91.ksc|url-status=dead}}
• 01/1991 – 09/1992: John C. "Chris" Fairey
• 09/1992 – 10/1996: David A. King{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/1992/65-92_prt.htm|title=NASA – KSC Names David King as Shuttle Discovery's Flow Director|website=www.nasa.gov|access-date=September 8, 2013|archive-date=September 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927080743/http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/1992/65-92_prt.htm|url-status=live}}
• 10/1996 – 05/2000: W. Scott Cilento{{cite web |url=http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/1996/120-96.htm |title=KSC Release No. 120-96 |access-date=September 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221130111/http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/release/1996/120-96.htm |archive-date=February 21, 2013 }}
• 12/2000 – 03/2011: Stephanie S. Stilson{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/stilson.html|title=Kennedy Biographies|first=Kay Grinter|last=KSC|work=NASA |date=June 6, 2013|access-date=September 8, 2013|archive-date=January 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124013537/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/stilson.html|url-status=live}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight|Solar System}}

• List of human spaceflights
• List of Space Shuttle crews
• List of Space Shuttle missions
• Timeline of Space Shuttle missions

{{Include-NASA}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Space Shuttle Discovery}}

{{Space Shuttle Mission Link}}

• [http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/ Return to Flight mission STS-114 and STS-121] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121103718/https://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight |date=January 21, 2019 }}
• [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html Shuttle Orbiter Discovery (OV-103)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209023128/https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/resources/orbiters/discovery.html |date=February 9, 2021 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070510210756/http://www.maniacworld.com/space-shuttle-night-launch.htm Night Launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery]
• [http://www.spacetelescope.org/about/history/servicing_mission_3a.html Discovery on Servicing Mission 3A at ESA/Hubble site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921213415/http://www.spacetelescope.org/about/history/servicing_mission_3a.html |date=September 21, 2008 }}
• [http://www.funnycoolstuff.com/2007/04/06/amazing-space-shuttle-pictures/ Pictures of preparations for a launch of Discovery] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213130945/http://funnycoolstuff.com/2007/04/06/amazing-space-shuttle-pictures/ |date=December 13, 2012 }}
• [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/48941/a-space-shuttles-final-rollout A Space Shuttle's Final Rollout] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100929204241/http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/48941/a-space-shuttles-final-rollout |date=September 29, 2010 }} – slideshow by Life magazine
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928002632/http://www.exploration-space.com/16-apr-2007-nasa.html April 16, 2007: Consolidated Launch Manifest: Space Shuttle Flights and ISS Assembly Sequence.]
• [https://archive.today/20130222100435/http://nasatech.net/ntTRDiscovery_PAGE.html Transition and Retirement: Hi-res spherical panoramas of the processing]
• {{HAER |survey=TX-116-A |id=tx1107 |title=Space Transportation System, Orbiter Discovery (OV-103), Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, 2101 NASA Parkway, Houston, Harris County, TX |photos=121 |dwgs=14 |cap=28}}

{{Space Shuttle Discovery}}

{{Space Shuttle}}

{{Space Shuttles}}

{{NASA space program}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}

Discovery

Discovery

Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Texas

Category:Individual spacecraft in the Smithsonian Institution

Category:Individual rockets

Category:Individual aircraft