, the space agency of the United States, and was operational from its maiden flight,
on March 9, 2011. Prior to its retirement, Discovery was NASA's Orbiter Fleet leader, having flown 39 successful missions in over 27 years of service. In 1984, Discovery became the third operational orbiter following
on March 9, 2011 at 10:57:17 CST, having spent a cumulative total of one full year (365 days) in space. Discovery has performed both research and
(ISS) assembly missions. Discovery also flew the
into orbit, and was the only orbiter to take other parts of the telescope to space. Discovery was the first operational shuttle to be retired, followed by
The spacecraft takes its name from four British ships of exploration named Discovery, primarily
. The
Hubble service missions were also conducted by Discovery. It has also launched the
satellites. Discovery has been chosen twice as the "Return To Flight" Orbiter, first in 1988 after the
, and then for the twin "Return To Flight" missions in July 2005 and July 2006 after the
. Discovery also carried
gone ahead, Discovery would have flown it. Its final mission, STS-133, landed on March 9, 2011, in Kennedy Space Center, Florida. After decommissioning and delivery, the spacecraft will be displayed in Virginia at the
Discovery weighed some 6870 pounds (3,116.2 kg) less than Columbia when it was brought into service due to optimizations determined during the construction and testing of Enterprise, Columbia and Challenger.
Beginning in late 1995, the orbiter underwent a nine-month Orbiter Maintenance Down Period (OMDP) in Palmdale California. This included outfitting the vehicle with a 5th set of cryogenic tanks and an external airlock to support missions to the International Space Station. It can be attached to the top of specialized aircraft and did so in June 1996 when it returned to the Kennedy Space Center, riding
, Discovery became the first of the orbiter fleet to undergo Orbiter Major Modification (OMM) period at the Kennedy Space Center. Work began in September 2002 to prepare the vehicle for Return to Flight. This included scheduled upgrades and additional safety modifications. Discovery is 6 pounds (2.7 kg) heavier than
process, as part of the national collection after the orbiter has been retired. Discovery will replace in the Smithsonian's display at the
By its last mission, Discovery had flown 148 million miles (238 million km) in 39 missions, completed 5,830 orbits, and spent 365 days in orbit in over 27 years. Discovery is the Orbiter Fleet leader, having flown more flights than any other Orbiter Shuttle in the fleet, including four in 1985 alone. Discovery flew all three "return to flight" missions after the
in 2006. Discovery flew the third to the last mission of the Space Shuttle program,
, having launched on (NET) February 24, 2011. Endeavour flew aboard
, NASA's last Space Shuttle mission. On February 24, 2011, Space Shuttle Discovery launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39-A to begin its final orbital flight.
| # |
Date |
Designation |
Notes |
Length of journey |
| 1 |
|
STS-41-DSTS-41-D was the first flight of NASA's Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery. It was the 12th mission of the Space Shuttle program, and was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 30 August 1984...
|
First Discovery mission: Launched two communications satellite A communications satellite is an artificial satellite stationed in space for the purpose of telecommunications...
s, including LEASAT F2Syncom started as a 1961 NASA program for active geosynchronous communication satellites, all of which were developed and manufactured by Hughes Space and Communications...
. |
6 days, 00 hours,
56 minutes, 04 seconds |
| 2 |
|
STS-51-ASTS-51-A was the second flight of Space Shuttle Discovery, and the 14th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on 8 November 1984, and landed just under eight days later on 16 November....
|
Launched two and rescued two communications satellites including LEASAT F1. |
7 days, 23 hours,
44 minutes, 56 seconds |
| 3 |
|
STS-51-CSTS-51-C was the 15th flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the third flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. It was also the first shuttle mission to deploy a dedicated United States Department of Defense payload, and as such many mission details remain classified...
|
Launched DODThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
MagnumMagnum is the code name for a class of SIGINT spy satellites reportedly operated by the National Reconnaissance Office for the United States Central Intelligence Agency...
ELINT satellite. |
3 days, 01 hours,
33 minutes, 23 seconds- |
| 4 |
|
STS-51-DSTS-51-D was the sixteenth flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the fourth flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. The launch of STS-51-D from Kennedy Space Center , Florida, on 12 April 1985 was delayed by 55 minutes, after a boat strayed into the restricted Solid Rocket Booster recovery zone...
|
Launched two communications satellites including LEASAT F3. |
6 days, 23 hours,
55 minutes, 23 seconds |
| 5 |
|
STS-51-GSTS-51-G was the eighteenth flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the fifth flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 17 June 1985...
|
Launched two communications satellites, Sultan Salman al-Saud becomes first Saudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
n in space. |
7 days, 01 hours,
38 minutes, 52 seconds |
| 6 |
|
STS-51-ISTS-51-I was the twentieth mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the sixth flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. During the mission, Discovery deployed three communications satellites into orbit...
|
Launched two communications satellites including LEASAT F4. Recovered, repaired, and redeployed LEASAT F3. |
7 days, 02 hours,
17 minutes, 42 seconds |
| 7 |
|
STS-26STS-26 was the 26th NASA Space Shuttle mission and the seventh flight of the Discovery orbiter. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 29 September 1988, and landed four days later on 3 October. STS-26 was declared the "Return to Flight" mission, being the first mission after...
|
Return to flight after Space Shuttle Challenger disasterThe Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
, launched TDRSA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite is a type of communications satellite that forms part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System used by NASA and other United States government agencies for communications to and from independent "User Platforms" such as satellites, balloons, aircraft,...
. |
4 days, 01 hours,
00 minutes, 11 seconds |
| 8 |
|
STS-29-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter liftoff: **Orbiter landing: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 28.5°*Period: 90.6 min-Mission summary:Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Pad B, Launch...
|
Launched TDRS. |
4 days, 23 hours,
38 minutes, 52 seconds |
| 9 |
|
STS-33-Crew notes:S. David Griggs, the originally scheduled pilot for STS-33, died in a plane crash in June 1989, five months prior to the scheduled launch, and was replaced by John E...
|
Launched DOD Magnum ELINT satellite. |
5 days, 00 hours,
06 minutes, 49 seconds |
| 10 |
|
STS-31STS-31 was the thirty-fifth mission of the American Space Shuttle program, which launched the Hubble Space Telescope astronomical observatory into Earth orbit...
|
Launch of Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
(HST). |
5 days, 01 hours,
16 minutes, 06 seconds |
| 11 |
|
STS-41STS-41 was the eleventh mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery. The four-day mission with a primary objective to launch the Ulysses probe as part of the "International Solar Polar Mission".-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:...
|
Launch of Ulysses. |
4 days, 02 hours,
10 minutes, 04 seconds |
| 12 |
|
STS-39-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 57.0°*Period: 89.6 min-Mission highlights:...
|
Launched DOD Air Force Program-675 (AFP-675 AFP-675 was a Space Shuttle experiment package that was carried into orbit on Discovery as part of STS-39.AFP-675 consisted of six experiment packages mounted on a pallet in the Discovery's cargo bay. The total weight of the package was 5,080 kilograms...
) satellite. |
8 days, 07 hours,
22 minutes, 23 seconds |
| 13 |
|
STS-48-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 57.0°*Period: 96.2 min-Mission highlights:...
|
Upper Atmosphere Research SatelliteThe Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was a NASA-operated orbital observatory whose mission was to study the Earth’s atmosphere, particularly the protective ozone layer. The satellite was deployed from Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-48 mission on September 15, 1991...
(UARS). |
5 days, 08 hours,
27 minutes, 38 seconds |
| 14 |
|
STS-42STS-42 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission with the Spacelab module. Liftoff which was originally scheduled for 8:45 EST 22 January 1992, but the launch was delayed due to weather constraints. Discovery successfully lifted off an hour later at 9:52 EST . The main goal of the mission was to study...
|
International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1). |
8 days, 01 hours,
14 minutes, 44 seconds |
| 15 |
|
STS-53-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 57.0°*Period: 92.0 min-Mission highlights:...
|
Department of Defense payload. |
7 days, 07 hours,
19 minutes, 47 seconds |
| 16 |
|
STS-56STS-56 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission to perform special experiments. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 8 April 1993.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter landing with payload: **Payload:...
|
Atmospheric Laboratory (ATLAS-2). |
9 days, 06 hours,
08 minutes, 24 seconds |
| 17 |
|
STS-51STS-51 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission that launched the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite ACTS in September 1993. The flight also featured the deployment and retrieval of the SPAS-ORFEUS satellite and its IMAX camera, which captured spectacular footage of Discovery in space...
|
Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). |
9 days, 20 hours,
11 minutes, 11 seconds |
| 18 |
|
STS-60STS-60 was the first mission of the US/Russian Shuttle-Mir Program, which carried Sergei K. Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard a Space Shuttle. The mission used Space Shuttle Discovery, which lifted off from Launch Pad 39A on 3 February 1994 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida...
|
First Shuttle-Mir mission; Wake Shield Facility (WSF). |
8 days, 07 hours,
09 minutes, 22 seconds |
| 19 |
|
STS-64STS-64 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission to perform multiple experiment packages. It was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 9 September 1994.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass: payload*Perigee: *Apogee:...
|
LIDAR In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE). |
10 days, 22 hours,
49 minutes, 57 seconds |
| 20 |
|
STS-63 |
Rendezvous with MirMir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...
space station. |
8 days, 06 hours,
29 minutes, 36 seconds |
| 21 |
|
STS-70STS-70 was the 21st flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery, and the last of 7 shuttle missions to carry a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite . This was the first shuttle mission controlled from the new Mission Control Center room at the Johnson Space Center in Houston...
|
7th Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS). |
8 days, 22 hours,
20 minutes, 05 seconds |
| 22 |
|
STS-82STS-82 was a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission by Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 11 February 1997 and returned to earth on 21 February 1997 at Kennedy Space Center.-Crew:...
|
Servicing Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
(HST) (HSM-2). |
9 days, 23 hours,
38 minutes, 09 seconds |
| 23 |
|
STS-85STS-85 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission to perform multiple space science packages. It was launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 7 August 1997.-Crew:-Crew notes:...
|
Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes (CRISTA). |
11 days, 20 hours,
28 minutes, 07 seconds |
| 24 |
|
STS-91STS-91 was the final Space Shuttle mission to the Mir space station. It was flown by Space Shuttle Discovery, and launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 2 June 1998.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:...
|
Final Shuttle/Mir Docking Mission. |
9 days, 19 hours,
55 minutes, 01 seconds |
| 25 |
|
STS-95STS-95 was a Space Shuttle Discovery mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on 29 October 1998. It was the 25th flight of Discovery and the 92nd mission flown since the start of the Space Shuttle program in April 1981. It was a highly publicized mission due to former Project Mercury...
|
SPACEHAB Astrotech Corporation , formerly Spacehab Inc., is an aerospace company headquartered in Austin, Texas which provides commercial space products and services to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, international space agencies, and global commercial customers...
, second flight of John GlennJohn Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
, Pedro DuquePedro Duque Duque is a Spanish astronaut and a veteran of two space missions.Duque earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid in 1986. He worked for GMV and for the European Space Agency for six years before being selected as an astronaut candidate in...
becomes first Spaniard in space. |
8 days, 21 hours,
44 minutes, 56 seconds |
| 26 |
|
STS-96STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery, and the first shuttle flight to dock with the International Space Station. The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload, filled with cargo for station outfitting...
|
Resupply mission for the International Space Station. |
9 days, 19 hours,
13 minutes, 57 seconds |
| 27 |
|
STS-103STS-103 was a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission by Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 19 December 1999 and returned on 27 December 1999.-Crew:-Mission parameters:*Mass:...
|
Servicing Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
(HST) (HSM-3A). |
7 days, 23 hours,
11 minutes, 34 seconds |
| 28 |
|
STS-92STS-92 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. STS-92 marked the 100th mission of the Space Shuttle...
|
International Space Station Assembly Flight (carried and assembled the Z1 truss); 100th Shuttle mission. |
12 days, 21 hours,
43 minutes, 47 seconds |
| 29 |
|
STS-102STS-102 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery and launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida...
|
International Space Station crew rotation flight (Expedition 1Expedition 1, or Expedition One, was the first long-duration stay on the International Space Station . The three-person crew stayed aboard the station for 136 days, from November 2000 to March 2001. It was the beginning of an uninterrupted human presence on the station which still continues, as of...
and Expedition 2Expedition 2 was the second long-duration spaceflight aboard the International Space Station, immediately following Expedition 1. Its three person crew stayed aboard the station from March to August 2001...
) |
12 days, 19 hours,
51 minutes, 57 seconds |
| 30 |
|
STS-105STS-105 was a mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, 10 August 2001. This mission was Discoverys final mission until STS-114, because Discovery was grounded for a refit, and then all Shuttles were grounded in the wake...
|
International Space Station crew and supplies delivery (Expedition 2Expedition 2 was the second long-duration spaceflight aboard the International Space Station, immediately following Expedition 1. Its three person crew stayed aboard the station from March to August 2001...
and Expedition 3Expedition 3 was the third expedition to the International Space Station. Commander Frank Culbertson was the only American crew member, and as such the only American not on Earth during the September 11 terrorist attacks, which the crew photographed and videoed from the ISS.- Crew :- Mission...
) |
11 days 21 hours,
13 minutes, 52 seconds |
| 31 |
|
STS-114-Original crew:This mission was to carry the Expedition 7 crew to the ISS and bring home the Expedition 6 crew. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:...
|
"Return To Flight" mission since Space Shuttle Columbia disasterThe Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members...
; International Space StationThe International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS) supplies delivery, new safety procedures testing and evaluation, Multi-Purpose Logistics ModuleA Multi-Purpose Logistics Module is a large pressurized container used on Space Shuttle missions to transfer cargo to and from the International Space Station . An MPLM was carried in the cargo bay of a Shuttle and berthed to the Unity or Harmony modules on the ISS. From there, supplies were...
(MPLM) Raffaello. |
13 days, 21 hours,
33 minutes, 00 seconds |
| 32 |
|
STS-121STS-121 was a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station flown by Space Shuttle Discovery. The main purposes of the mission were to test new safety and repair techniques introduced following the Columbia disaster of February 2003 as well as to deliver supplies, equipment and...
|
Second "Return To Flight" mission since the Space Shuttle Columbia disasterThe Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members...
; International Space StationThe International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
(ISS) supplies delivery, test new safety and repair techniques. |
12 days, 18 hours,
37 minutes, 54 seconds |
| 33 |
|
STS-116-Crew notes:Originally this mission was to carry the Expedition 8 crew to the ISS. The original crew was to be:-Mission highlights:* The STS-116 mission delivered and attached the International Space Station's third port truss segment, the P5 truss....
|
ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the P5 truss segment); Last flight to launch on pad 39-BLaunch Complex 39 is a rocket launch site at the John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island in Florida, USA. The site and its collection of facilities were originally built for the Apollo program, and later modified to support Space Shuttle operations. NASA began modifying LC-39 in 2007 to...
;
First night launch since Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. |
12 days, 20 hours,
44 minutes, 16 seconds |
| 34 |
|
STS-120-Crew notes:As commander of STS-120, Pamela Melroy became the second woman to command a space shuttle mission. Additionally, the Expedition 16 crew that received STS-120 was commanded by Peggy Whitson, the first female ISS commander...
|
ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the Harmony module). |
15 days, 02 hours,
23 minutes, 55 seconds |
| 35 |
|
STS-124STS-124 was a Space Shuttle mission, flown by Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station. Discovery launched on 31 May 2008 at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of 25 May 2008, and landed safely at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, at 11:15...
|
ISS crew rotation and assembly (carries and assembles the Kibō Kibo may refer to:*Kibo , Japanese Experiment Module , component of the International Space Station*Kibo , volcanic cone forming the main summit of Mount Kilimanjaro...
JEM PM module). |
13 days, 18 hours,
13 minutes, 07 seconds |
| 36 |
|
STS-119-Crew notes:This mission was originally scheduled to bring the Expedition 9 crew to the ISS. This crew would have consisted of:-Mission parameters:* Mass:* Orbiter liftoff: * Orbiter landing: * Perigee: * Apogee:...
|
International Space Station crew rotation and assembly of a fourth
starboard truss segment (ITS S6) and a fourth set of solar arrays and batteries. Also replaced a failed unit for a system that converts urine to drinking water. |
12 days, 19 hours,
29 minutes, 33 seconds |
| 37 |
|
STS-128 -Crew notes:Nicole Stott was originally scheduled to return aboard Soyuz TMA-15, but a change in the flight plan was made due to the possible flight delays in future shuttle missions, which may extend Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk's mission beyond the six-month duration preferred for station...
|
International Space Station crew rotation and ISS resupply using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Also carried the C.O.L.B.E.R.T The Treadmill with Vibration Isolation Stabilization System, commonly abbreviated as TVIS, is a treadmill for use on-board the International Space Station and is designed to allow astronauts to run without vibrating delicate microgravity science experiments in adjacent labs...
treadmill named after Stephen ColbertStephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
|
13 days 20 hours, 54 minutes, 40 seconds |
| 38 |
|
STS-131 STS-131 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station . launched on 5 April 2010 at 6:22 am from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A, and landed at 9:08 am on 20 April 2010 on runway 33 at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility...
|
ISS resupply using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. The mission also marked the 1st time that 4 women were in space & the 1st time that 2 Japanese astronauts were together in space station |
15 days 2 hours, 47 minutes 11 seconds‡ |
| 39 |
|
STS-133 STS-133 was the 133rd mission in NASA's Space Shuttle program; during the mission, Space Shuttle Discovery docked with the International Space Station. It was Discoverys 39th and final mission. The mission launched on 24 February 2011, and landed on 9 March 2011...
|
The mission launched at 4:53 pm EST on February 24, was carrying the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) Leonardo, the ELC-4 and Robonaut 2 to the ISS. This was the final mission for the Space Shuttle Discovery. |
12 days 19 hours,
4 minutes, 50 seconds |
Discovery was featured in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. She was used as a booster vehicle for the Autobots' spacecraft Xantium when they were exiled from Earth, but