TMO has Close Encounter with Space Shuttle Discovery

While in the middle of bringing you breaking Apple news, staffers at TMO’s Northern Virginia office were interrupted this morning by an unexpected visitor. The Space Shuttle Discovery, on a final tour before she’s decommissioned at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center, buzzed our office on the back of a NASA 747.

Space Shuttle DiscoveryImage credit: Jim Tanous

Discovery, the oldest surviving shuttle in NASA’s fleet, landed at Dulles International Airport following her flyby, where she will go on display, replacing the shuttle prototype Enterprise at the above-mentioned Udvar-Hazy Center.

Space Shuttle DiscoveryImage credit: Jim Tanous

Discovery’s first flight was August 30, 1984 and her last took place in February 2011. She flew 39 missions during her nearly 27 year career.

Space Shuttle DiscoveryImage credit: Jim Tanous

From all of us here at TMO, we salute Discovery, her crews, and all the NASA men and women who made the shuttle program possible. She is an old gal, but she sure went out in style.