Space Shuttle Discovery finds new home at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

On April 19th, the Space Shuttle Discovery will be officially welcomed to its new home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Shuttle Discovery, now retired along with the rest of the space shuttle fleet will join the Space Shuttle Enterprise already at home in the Smithsonian.

Shuttle Enterprise was the first in the space shuttle program and was designed and flown without main engines in drop tests after a piggy-back ride to altitude atop a Boeing 747. The successful drop test by enterprise in the early 1970s paved the way for the program proving the viability of the shuttle’s unpowered glider-like returns to Earth.

While the two shuttles will be together during the ceremony, Enterprise will later be moved to New York’s Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. NASA will make the official transfer of Shuttle Discovery into the Smithsonian’s collection during an outdoor ceremony which is open to the public.

While many visitors to Washington D.C. are familiar with the National Air and Space Museum near the Capital Building on the National Mall, the Smithsonian also has additional aircraft and spacecraft at its Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center located next to the Dulles International Airport. Both locations are open to the public each day from 10AM to 5:30 PM, with the exception of Christmas Day.

Discovery will fly into Dulles atop a 747 on the 19th for the ceremony and then join the Enterprise in the center’s James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the museum. This will become the shuttle’s permanent home..

For information and updates about Discovery arrival events, visit: http://discovery.si.edu