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Discovery Atop Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), is seen parked after arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport, Tuesday, April 17, 2012, in Sterling, Va., where it will be prepped for removal from the aircraft.
Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA's shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles (238,539,663 kilometers).
NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers.
Photo Credit: NASA/Sean Smith