Photo courtesy of NASA
Space Shuttle Discovery soars away from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, beginning its maiden voyage and a storied spaceflight career that spanned more than 26 years. The on-time liftoff occurred at 8:42 am E.D.T. on Aug. 30, 1984. Discovery, the longest-serving and most flown of all the shuttles, will be welcomed into the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum collection on April 19, 2012 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, where it will go on permanent display.
Image Number: WEB12252-2012
