The final journey of the Space Shuttle Discovery

Space · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: After decades of orbiting Earth, the legendary Space Shuttle Discovery has completed its crawl to the launch pad. As the STS-133 mission approaches, this final scheduled flight marks the end of an era for the world's first reusable spacecraft.

Between January 31 and February 1, the Space Shuttle Discovery moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The 3.4-mile trek was performed atop a massive crawler-transporter. This movement prepares the orbiter for its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for February 24, which is slated to be Discovery's final flight before retirement. The mission, designated STS-133, aims to transport a crew of six astronauts to the International Space Station.

The orbiter itself is a marvel of engineering, designed to launch like a rocket, maneuver in orbit, and land like an airplane. Roughly comparable in size and weight to a DC-9 aircraft, the vehicle features a 78-foot wingspan and a 122-foot length. Its complex architecture includes a pressurized crew module, a large cargo bay, and three main engines. The flight deck alone contains more than 2,020 separate displays and controls, allowing for a pilot/copilot arrangement that even permits a one-man emergency return. The vehicle's structure includes an aft fuselage that houses both the main engines and the maneuvering thrusters. Its payload bay doors span 60 feet in length and 22.67 feet in width.

Life aboard the orbiter is highly structured. The 65.8-cubic-meter crew station module provides a pressurized environment for up to seven members, though the flight deck seats four. The middeck serves as a hub for sleeping stations, waste management, and even a dining table. For extravehicular activities, or EVAs, an airlock provides the necessary interface for crew to change into spacesuits and exit the vehicle to perform tasks in the vacuum of space.

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