Politics & Government

PHOTO GALLERY: NASA Transfers Discovery to the Smithsonian

The space shuttle Discovery was transferred from NASA to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly.

Former Astronaut and former U.S. Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio) was the keynote speaker Thursday at the transfer ceremony of the orbital space shuttle Discovery to the Smithsonian Institution. As the pilot of Mercury Friendship 7 in 1962, Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth.

Discovery arrived Tuesday, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.  of Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. 

Discovery now becomes part of the permanent exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly.  The Enterprise space shuttle currently on display at Udzar-Hazy was an atmospheric test vehicle, and is being replaced by Discovery. Enterprise will be flown to JFK International Airport next week atop the same shuttle carrier aircraft that delivered Discovery. It will then be moved by barge to its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.

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Discovery Family Weekend at the Udvar-Hazy Center features many events Friday through Sunday.


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