Discovery lands for the final time
Video by Christen Lazarcheck
United States discovery in space is coming to an end...for now.
The space shuttle 'Discovery' docked at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Wednesday for the final time at noon eastern time.
Discovery completed its 13th mission to the International Space Station and its 39th total mission. The most flown spacecraft ever, Discovery racked up 148 million miles, 5,830 orbits of Earth and 365 days in space during its 27 year career.
The 30-year NASA space shuttle program is coming to an end as the transition to interplanetary travel begins.
"Last time we had a gap was between 1975, which was the last flight of Skylab, and 1981, which was the first flight of the space shuttle program," Paul Ronney, USC professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering, said. "I feel pretty sure there's going to be more than a six year gap in the American manned space program."
Ronney also said taking a back seat to technological creation instead of being a "driver of technology" could be bad for America in the long run.
Discovery will become a part of the Smithsonian Institution's museum collection. The newly retired space shuttle will arrive in Washington D.C. strapped atop a jumbo jet.
NASA will launch the other two carrier shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis, later this year.
