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........
Awesome! It's all I can say...awesome!
ReplyDeleteI still get goose bumps thinking how it felt to stand there and see that!! I've seen countless rocket and missile launches, but this was something I'll never forget!
ReplyDeleteThese are Great!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics Tony!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to take my kids out of school and bring the train into DC, and could kick myself now for not doing it. Had I had more notice, I would have. I know what you mean about it being a "goose bump moment." I looked at them initially on my iPhone, now having a chance to see them on the computer. I like the one with Old Glory flying in the foreground and the one below it. How cool would it have been to be in the Old Post Office Pavilion tower?
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing the shuttle which is already at the Smithsonian at Dulles, and thinking how awesome it is that it had been into outer freaking space! In 100 years these shuttles will look like horse and buggy, but man they are cool. They delivered the Hubble Telescope into outer space, perhaps the greatest discoveries in the history of the world have been made by the telescope, and it's only in its infancy. O.K., I'll stop for now....
I watched this live on the news (CNN International) and on the German national news last night. Your pictures are great, and I'm glad you posted at least some of 'em!
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