Shuttle leaves space station for last time
Source: Agencies |
March 8, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DISCOVERY, the world's most traveled spaceship, left the International Space Station yesterday for the last time, getting a send-off by the dozen orbiting astronauts as well as "Star Trek's" original Captain Kirk.
The shuttle undocked from the station as the two craft sailed more than 320 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean, just north of New Guinea.
Station skipper Scott Kelly rang his ship's bell in true naval tradition, as the shuttle backed away. "Discovery departing," he called out.
This is the final flight for Discovery, which is due back on Earth tomorrow. It's being retired and sent to the Smithsonian Institution for display. NASA's two other shuttles will join Discovery in retirement, following their upcoming missions.
Discovery's six astronauts got a special greeting in advance of their space station departure.
Actor William Shatner, who played Captain James Kirk on the original "Star Trek" TV series and in several films, paid tribute to Discovery's voyages over the decades. "Space, the final frontier," Shatner said in a prerecorded message.
"These have been the voyages of the space shuttle Discovery. Her 30-year mission: to seek out new science, to build new outposts, to bring nations together on the final frontier, to boldly go and do what no spacecraft has done before."
Shatner's words were followed by yesterday morning's wake-up music, "Theme from Star Trek." It was the runner-up in a pick-the-wake-up-music contest sponsored by NASA. The No. 1 vote-getter will be beamed up today.
Discovery will have racked up nearly 240 million kilometers by trip's end, accumulated over 39 missions and nearly 27 years, and spent 365 days total in space. It flew to the space station 13 times.
Immediately after undocking, Discovery performed a victory lap around the orbiting outpost, where it spent the past nine days.
The shuttle undocked from the station as the two craft sailed more than 320 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean, just north of New Guinea.
Station skipper Scott Kelly rang his ship's bell in true naval tradition, as the shuttle backed away. "Discovery departing," he called out.
This is the final flight for Discovery, which is due back on Earth tomorrow. It's being retired and sent to the Smithsonian Institution for display. NASA's two other shuttles will join Discovery in retirement, following their upcoming missions.
Discovery's six astronauts got a special greeting in advance of their space station departure.
Actor William Shatner, who played Captain James Kirk on the original "Star Trek" TV series and in several films, paid tribute to Discovery's voyages over the decades. "Space, the final frontier," Shatner said in a prerecorded message.
"These have been the voyages of the space shuttle Discovery. Her 30-year mission: to seek out new science, to build new outposts, to bring nations together on the final frontier, to boldly go and do what no spacecraft has done before."
Shatner's words were followed by yesterday morning's wake-up music, "Theme from Star Trek." It was the runner-up in a pick-the-wake-up-music contest sponsored by NASA. The No. 1 vote-getter will be beamed up today.
Discovery will have racked up nearly 240 million kilometers by trip's end, accumulated over 39 missions and nearly 27 years, and spent 365 days total in space. It flew to the space station 13 times.
Immediately after undocking, Discovery performed a victory lap around the orbiting outpost, where it spent the past nine days.
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