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Showing posts with label Space Shuttle Discovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Space Shuttle Discovery. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Space Shuttle Discovery, Up Close & Personal


Back in April, I was fortunate enough to see the Space Shuttle Discovery take it's last flight over DC before it reached it's final home, the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center; part of the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum.   Since that day, I've been dying to go see the shuttle up close.  I finally made it the other day and I was not disappointed!!!!

Just a couple photos from my initial series of photos on the shuttle.
Below is a link to that blog:
http://tinyurl.com/axrho8n
Heat tiles still scarred from the shuttle's last flight.
I was amazed to learn the white portion of the shuttle is actually quilted material!



Underneath the engines looking forward.

The Canada  Arm.


You can actually see that the inside remains as it was after the last flight.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Space Shuttle Discovery over DC: The End Of An Era.........


The Space Shuttle Discovery first flew on August 30, 1984, and took it's last space flight on March 9, 2011.

Prior to its retirement, Discovery flew 39 successful missions and if not for the Challenger tragedy, it would have launched from SLC-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in 1986.  This is a Space Launch Complex I know well and have been up to the top of during my time stationed at VAFB. 



Today, I witnessed Discovery's final flight to it's new home, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, (Part of Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum) at Dulles Airport. 

The Shuttle, atop it's specially modified 747, the same one it flew on it's first flight, made several passes over the National Mall, where I waited, camera in hand!!  I took over 400 pictures and it's killing me not to put them all up, but I just picked the top 15!  I hope you enjoy these as much as I did taking them......


 People lined the rooftops waiting.

 First view!  We didn't know which way it was coming from and it snuck up on us!


The ever-present fighter jet.

They flew over several times which allowed several opportunities to catch the perfect shots!

It was like the whole city just stopped......



 The sky couldn't have been better for this!!!


This was a common sight on all of the rooftops.


It was an incredible sight to see!!!!
  
Then it was over.  Much too soon........