Orbiter, Space Shuttle, OV-103, Discovery

Object Details

Manufacturer

Rockwell International Corporation (Huntington and Downey, CA)

Summary

Discovery was the third Space Shuttle orbiter vehicle to fly in space. It entered service in 1984 and retired from spaceflight as the oldest and most utilized orbiter. Discovery was flown on 39 Earth-orbital missions, spent a total of 365 days in space, and traveled almost 240 million kilometers (150 million miles)--more than the other orbiters. It shuttled 184 men and women into space and back, many of whom flew more than once, for a record-setting total crew count of 251.

Because Discovery flew every kind of mission the Space Shuttle was meant to fly, it embodies well the 30-year history of U.S. human spaceflight from 1981 to 2011. Named for renowned sailing ships of exploration, Discovery is preserved as intact as possible as it last flew in 2011 on the 133rd Space Shuttle mission.

NASA transferred Discovery to the Smithsonian in April 2012 after a delivery flight over the nation's capital.

Alternate Name

Space Shuttle Discovery

Brief Description

Discovery was the third Space Shuttle orbiter to fly in space. From 1984 to 2012, Discovery flew 39 Earth-orbital missions, spent a total of 365 days in space, and traveled almost 240 million km (150 million mi) —more than the other orbiters.

Credit Line

Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Inventory Number

A20120325000

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

SPACECRAFT-Crewed

Materials

Airframe: aluminum alloys, titanium

Surface: silica tiles, reinforced carbon RCC nose cap and wing leading edges

Interior: many materials (aluminum, fabric, beta cloth, velcro, etc.)

Dimensions

Overall: 24.314m x 17.768m x 38.03m, 73176.5kg (78 ft. x 57 ft. x 122 ft., 161325lb.)

Country of Origin

United States of America

See more items in

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Hangar

James S. McDonnell Space Hangar

National Air and Space Museum

Record ID

nasm_A20120325000

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv90f447f4d-55c5-4511-90c3-86bd30bfdbfc