3. Spacecraft Discovery

Space Shuttle Discovery

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Discovery OV-103
Space Shuttle Discovery launches from NASA Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-124.
OV designation	OV-103
Country	United States Of America
Contract award	January 29, 1979
Named after	Discovery (1602), HMS Discovery (1774), HMS Discovery (1874), RRS Discovery (1901)
Status	Retired, on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia[1]
First flight	STS-41-D August 30, 1984 (1984-08-30) – September 5, 1984
Last flight	Ferry flight on SCA NASA905 to Washington DC April 17, 2012
Number of missions	39
Crew members	252[2]
Time spent in space	365 days, 22 hours, 39 minutes, 33 seconds
Distance travelled	148,221,675 mi (238,539,663 km)[3]
Satellites deployed	31 (including Hubble Space Telescope)
Mir dockings	1[3]
ISS dockings	13[3]

Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States,^[4] and was operational from its maiden flight, STS-41-D on August 30, 1984, until its final landing during STS-133 on March 9, 2011. Discovery has flown more than any other spacecraft having completed 39 successful missions in over 27 years of service.^[5]
In 1984, Discovery became the third operational orbiter following Columbia and Challenger,^[6] and made its final touchdown at Kennedy Space Center on March 9, 2011 at 10:57:17 CST,^[7] having spent a cumulative total of almost a full year in space. Discovery has performed both research and International Space Station (ISS) assembly missions. Discovery also flew the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. Discovery was the first operational shuttle to be retired, followed by Endeavour