On March 9, 2011, NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery completed its final mission, bringing to a close a remarkable operational career that lasted nearly 27 years and made Discovery the most flown spacecraft in the history of human spaceflight.
The shuttle touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:57 a.m. Eastern Time, concluding mission STS-133, the final flight of Discovery and one of the last missions of the United States Space Shuttle program. The landing marked the 39th mission for the spacecraft and the 133rd mission overall in NASA’s shuttle program, which began in 1981.
Discovery first launched on August 30, 1984, and over the course of its service became one of NASA’s most reliable and historic orbiters. The spacecraft flew more missions than any other shuttle in the fleet, spending 365 total days in space, completing over 5,800 orbits of Earth, and traveling nearly 150 million miles (approximately 240 million kilometres) during its lifetime.
The final mission, STS-133, launched on February 24, 2011, carrying a crew of six astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). During the mission, Discovery delivered critical supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory, including the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM), a storage module designed to provide additional space for equipment and experiments aboard the station. The shuttle also transported the Robonaut 2 humanoid robot, the first human-like robot sent into space to assist astronauts with tasks inside the station.
Commander Steven Lindsey led the STS-133 crew, joined by Pilot Eric Boe and Mission Specialists Alvin Drew, Michael Barratt, Nicole Stott, and Steve Bowen. During the mission, astronauts performed spacewalks to install equipment and maintain the station, further strengthening the ISS as a platform for international scientific research.
Throughout its long career, Discovery played a central role in many of NASA’s most important missions. The shuttle conducted the Return to Flight mission in 1988 (STS-26) following the Challenger disaster, helping restore confidence in the shuttle program. It later performed another critical Return to Flight mission in 2005 (STS-114) after the Columbia disaster, implementing new safety measures and inspection procedures.
Discovery also deployed the Hubble Space Telescope in April 1990, one of the most significant scientific instruments ever placed in orbit. The telescope has since transformed modern astronomy, providing unprecedented images of distant galaxies, nebulae, and deep space phenomena.
Over nearly three decades of service, Discovery helped launch and service satellites, build major components of the International Space Station, conduct scientific experiments, and support international cooperation in space exploration.
Following its retirement in 2011, Discovery was transferred to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, where it remains on permanent public display as a symbol of the Space Shuttle era and one of the most accomplished spacecraft ever built.
The retirement of Discovery came as NASA prepared to conclude the shuttle program entirely later in 2011, transitioning toward new spacecraft systems and partnerships aimed at expanding human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
Discovery’s legacy remains deeply tied to the advancement of human spaceflight, scientific discovery, and international cooperation in space.
About the Author Brad Socha is the founder of The Universal Record, focused on sourced, factual global reporting. Coverage includes international news, geopolitics, technology, and major developments.
