Photos: Space Shuttle Discovery's Final Voyage (to Museum)

N905NA on Short Final

Richard H. Croop, Jr. took this photo of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (N905NA) on final approach to Washington Dulles International Airport, bringing Discovery on April 17, 2012. He says he was located "just off the end of the runway threshold for Runway One Right."

Discovery and Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Flying Overhead

Sanjib Das took this photo of Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft flying overhead, from the intersection of Virginia State Route 28 and Westfields Blvd.

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft About to Land with Discovery

Anthony M. Rutkowski sends this photo of Discovery and the SCA taken on April 17, 2012. He writes about it: "It was taken by myself from Rte 50 a few seconds before the final landing on runway 1R. It was special for me because I once worked at KSC and designed the very first Unified Launch Console as we were converting from the Apollo to the Shuttle programs."

You're Looking the Wrong Way!

Josh Voigt sent this photo of his son and Discovery flying aboard the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, taken on April 17, 2012. He writes: "Here [are] a couple of shots I took of my son Nathan on the Mall this morning. Nathan is 19 months old. We live just northwest of Baltimore and drove to the Washington Mall early to see the sight.... We had an amazing experience."

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Carrying Discovery Takes Off

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home takes off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.

Shuttle Discovery Flying to Museum

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home takes off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at about 7 a.m. EDT on April 12, 2012. Discovery is headed for the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Shuttle Discovery Atop 747 Jet

Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop NASA's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, is ready for its final ferry flight on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.

Shuttle Discovery Flying to Museum

Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft departed Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility on April 17, 2012. It was the same runway where the shuttle last landed from space on March 9, 2011.

Space Shuttle Discovery Takes Off for Washington

A modified Boeing 747 jet (the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft) takes off with space shuttle Discovery riding piggyback to ferry the spacecraft from its home at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum display annex outside Washington, D.C., on April 17, 2012.

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Carrying Discovery over Vehicle Assembly Building

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft transporting space shuttle Discovery to its new home flies over the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The duo took off from Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility at about 7 a.m. EDT, April 17, 2012.