Space Shuttle Discovery

A couple of weeks ago, I took a trip out to Chantilly to the Smithsonian Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles airport. I wasn't super excited to go, but once I was there I was amazed! We listened to an hour long presentation about the shuttle and learned so many cool things! And how often does one get to stand under a shuttle?!?! Not very often! If you get the chance, this is a once in a lifetime experience!

Here's a little background:

Its maiden flight was on August 30, 1984, and it continued in service until its final landing on March 9, 2011. Discovery was transported to Washington Dulles International Airport on April 17, 2012, and was transferred to the Udvar-Hazy on April 19. By its last mission, Discovery had flown 149 million miles (238 million km) in 39 missions, completed 5,830 orbits, and spent 365 days in orbit in over 27 years.

First sighting!

That's a big snozz you've got there!

That's the door. Those black squares help the shuttle keep cooler when it enters/exits the atmosphere. There's like 21,000 squares on the shuttle. They are all numbered and maintained...so glad I don't have to keep track of that! If the color is really dusty looking, its been there a while; if its shiny black then its practically brand new!

Here's the butt

The flag looks backward, but its supposed to look like its on a pole and flowing into the wind!!!

Big guns

Oh hey guuuurl, hey!

Me with the shuttle!

Ahhhhhh so cool! Thanks to the bf who practically pushed me to go!