The Nasa craft blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre on February 24, on what was its 39th mission in a 27-year career with the US space program.
Its last assignment was a cargo resupply and construction mission to the International Space Station.
The spaceship is the world's most-travelled and Nasa's oldest, and is now heading for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where it will soon be joined by shuttles Endeavour and Atlantis - also being retired.
Discovery has spent a total of 365 days in space and notched up almost 149 million miles.
Endeavour will make its final journey in April and will be commanded by astronaut Mark Kelly, the husband of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head in January.
The Discovery is the world's most travelled space shuttle
The United States is ending the 30-year-old shuttle programme due to high operating costs and to free up funds to begin work on new spaceships.
Two other shuttles in the programme were destroyed in accidents - Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean in 1986, while Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere in 2003.
Seven astronauts were killed in each incident.
The United States will now rely on the Russian government to launch astronauts to the space station, although it hopes to eventually buy rides from commercial companies if any develop the capability.
Cargo runs will be handled by Russia, Europe and Japan, as well as two US firms.
No comments:
Post a Comment