Space shuttle Discovery likely to fly over DC area next week
Updated: Thursday, 12 Apr 2012, 4:37 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 12 Apr 2012, 4:37 PM EDT

WASHINGTON - Space shuttle Discovery is expected to fly over Washington's landmarks next week on the back of a Boeing 747 and will also be visible from points in Maryland and Virginia.

On Tuesday morning, Discovery will be flown from Florida to its new home at the Smithsonian. It will be housed at the National Air and Space Museum's annex in northern Virginia.

The Smithsonian recommends several viewing sites.
In Washington, the public can gather on the National Mall for a shuttle sighting. Other sites include Hains Point and the Southwest Waterfront.
In Virginia, Discovery may be seen from Old Town Alexandria's Waterfront, Gravelly Point near National Airport and Long Bridge Park. In Maryland, Discovery may be seen from National Harbor.
Discovery likely will arrive between 10 and 11 a.m.


Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/space-shuttle-discovery-likely-to-fly-over-dc-area-next-week-041212#ixzz1rwD0znHB

Houston We have Shuttle Wrote:
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> The Smithsonian recommends several viewing sites.


I'm going to be viewing...and taking photos...from the same spot I did for this:

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/594186/594421.html#msg-594421

With any luck the wind will be blowing from the north as usual.

Texas and Florida both have space shuttles...all over them.

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http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2012 12:29PM by WashingTone-Locian.

Yes, how funny.

Cool info, appreciated

Yeah, thanks

and then disaster struck...

skywatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Houston We have Shuttle Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Smithsonian recommends several viewing
> sites.
>
>
> I'm going to be viewing...and taking photos...from
> the same spot I did for this:
>
> http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/594
> 186/594421.html#msg-594421
>
> With any luck the wind will be blowing from the
> north as usual.

I think there may be a huge amount of people who will be trying to stop along the road there. Hope you are willing to pay the 15 bucks to park at museum becuase I doubt they will let anyone park along A+S Blvd for any length of time.

I hope the wind is blowing from the north as well. You think there is any chance it might land on Runway 1C instead of 1R?

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think there may be a huge amount of people who
> will be trying to stop along the road there. Hope
> you are willing to pay the 15 bucks to park at
> museum becuase I doubt they will let anyone park
> along A+S Blvd for any length of time.

I'll be standing on a deadend road that's part of Sully Station housing - no crowds (and, in fact, an obscure location to do (brief) plane viewing!).

> You think there is any chance it might land on
> Runway 1C instead of 1R?

Since 1R is "isolated" from the other runways, I'd expect that one to be used. Can't think of any other reason!

I believe the Chantilly Costco area has a fantastic view of either flight path.

But, again, I'm just going to use something like FLightWatch to figure out where the plane is, then run outside scanning the skies until I see it, then clickety click.

Jesus, that report on myfoxdc.com was a useless waste of server space. No mention of it landing at Dulles or potential sites there to see it. I'm so mad my dentures are rattling around like liquor bottles under the back seat of my 300c.

skywatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Houston We have Shuttle Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The Smithsonian recommends several viewing
> sites.
>
>
> I'm going to be viewing...and taking photos...from
> the same spot I did for this:
>
> http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/594
> 186/594421.html#msg-594421
>
> With any luck the wind will be blowing from the
> north as usual.


I don't think the light will be in your favor at the time of day the shuttle will arrive. Better to be east of the runway.

WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Texas and Florida both have space shuttles...all
> over them.

Except that the Challenger landed in the Atlantic. It had more in common with Kim Jong Hungry's rocket than it did with Columbia...

Guest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't think the light will be in your favor at
> the time of day the shuttle will arrive. Better
> to be east of the runway.

Yeah, the sun might be wrong for sure - good point. The weather report (that WILL change) says Tuesday's "partially cloudy" so we'll have to see how things turn out - those storms in the Midwest are heading our way; they'll either be here or will have just blown through by Tuesday AM - if here all bets are off, if just blown through it might be totally clear (thus sun in face).

You people are stroking yourselves over watching a plane carrying the space shuttle? GET A LIFE!

Driving up to Sterling yesterday afternoon, a Luftahnsa 747 was landing on 1R from where I was, down around NRO, it looked like that plane was going to land in the trees short it was so low. If the Shuttle comes in that low over Chantilly, you will get some amazing shots of it coming in.

I was hoping this would happen...!
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Bill Shatner Wrote:
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> You people are stroking yourselves over watching a
> plane carrying the space shuttle? GET A LIFE!

And you wasted your time posting this comment for what?

LiverLips Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill Shatner Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You people are stroking yourselves over watching
> a
> > plane carrying the space shuttle? GET A LIFE!
>
> And you wasted your time posting this comment for
> what?

Because it's absurd to get an erection for something like this...a space shuttle? Really? What is this 1983?

It's a trick. It's really a trojan horse full of little green men from Mars who want all of our women. RUN!!!!

Bill Shatner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> LiverLips Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Bill Shatner Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > You people are stroking yourselves over
> watching
> > a
> > > plane carrying the space shuttle? GET A LIFE!
> >
> > And you wasted your time posting this comment
> for
> > what?
>
> Because it's absurd to get an erection for
> something like this...a space shuttle? Really?
> What is this 1983?

Oh noes, someone's interested in something you're not!

What a fucking shame!

I'll warm up a titty bottle for you. Go grab your binky and I'll tell you a story while you drown your sorrows with the warm warm formula.

I'm all set - battery charging, camera set to infnite snapshot/no review mode and SD card empty, have searched flight tracking links (like FlightAware), weather looks pretty darn good (albeit a little warm), we'll have to see if the winds are right.

Tuesday, here I come!

Skywatcher

Nice work with that A380 . I see ( I'm assuming its the same one ) her a couple times a from a distance . Amazing how big she looks from miles away.

Good luck getting similar shots with the shuttle.

..............
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I guess the plan is for the shuttle to buzz Washington a couple of times and then land at Dulles.

Wouldn't pictures of the shuttle over the monuments be better?

http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/discovery/location.cfm

HOLY SHIT, what CUNTS!

Read the fine print here friends!

VIEWS FROM THE TOWER
Visitors love to watch airplanes takeoff and land from the Donald D. Engen Tower. A few things to note about Tower operations during the Discovery Festival:

•The Tower may not be open to the public on the day Discovery lands, but photographers say the best views will be from the parking lot anyway.

... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/discovery/lo
> cation.cfm
>
> HOLY SHIT, what CUNTS!
>
> Read the fine print here friends!
>
> VIEWS FROM THE TOWER
> Visitors love to watch airplanes takeoff and land
> from the Donald D. Engen Tower. A few things to
> note about Tower operations during the Discovery
> Festival:
>
> •The Tower may not be open to the public on the
> day Discovery lands, but photographers say the
> best views will be from the parking lot anyway.

Why? Is the tower open to only special people? Museum Staff?

Discovery Festival Thursday

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
Admission: Free, Parking $15

Space Shuttle Discovery will be transferred to the Smithsonian and placed on permanent display.

Get there early.

For more information see Directions, Parking and Attendee Tips.

The parking lot and building open two hours early at 8:00 am. McDonald's will provide food service inside and outside.

The outside ceremony area opens at 9:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm.

The building will be open one hour late, until 6:30 pm.

The Engen Observation Tower will be open from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm only.

Please note some activities listed below end early.

11:00 am Discovery Arrives at the Udvar-Hazy Center for Transfer Ceremony

Music by the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps

Appearance by Discovery crew members

Nose-to-nose meeting of Space Shuttles Discovery and Enterprise

11:30 am Ceremony

National Anthem by mezzo soprano Denyce Graves

Speakers:

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden

Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough

National Air and Space Museum Director Gen. J.R. "Jack" Dailey

Former Senator and Astronaut John Glenn

Chair of Smithsonian Board of Regents France Córdova

Presentation of the orbiter's achievements

Formal signing of document transferring Discovery from NASA to the Smithsonian

Noon - 4:00 pm

You are invited to view both Discovery and Enterprise and take photographs.

Noon - 4:30 pm Activities

A huge array of activities are planned inside and outside. See the full list of activities >>

4:00 pm Watch the shuttles as they are moved

Enterprise is moved into position beside the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar. Enterprise, which has been on view at the Udvar-Hazy Center since it opened in 2003, will be moved to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, arriving at JFK Airport on April 23.

Discovery is moved into the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar for permanent display.

Discovery NASA Social

We are teaming up with NASA to host the first NASA Social to celebrate the arrival of Space Shuttle Discovery on April 19 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. Participants, the Museum and NASA will all be sharing their experiences through their favorite social networks. Registration to be one of the 30 invited to be in the NASA Social group is now closed, but we invite everyone to join the conversation on Twitter via the #NASASocial hash tag, or follow updates on Facebook and Google .

Checkout the last part???


Discovery NASA Social

We are teaming up with NASA to host the first NASA Social to celebrate the arrival of Space Shuttle Discovery on April 19 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. Participants, the Museum and NASA will all be sharing their experiences through their favorite social networks. Registration to be one of the 30 invited to be in the NASA Social group is now closed, but we invite everyone to join the conversation on Twitter via the #NASASocial hash tag, or follow updates on Facebook and Google .

Holy fuck...the largesse on this is off the mother fuckin' chain! How many people could we have fed with the price tag of this bullshit?

Public? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Checkout the last part???
>
>
> Discovery NASA Social
>
> We are teaming up with NASA to host the first NASA
> Social to celebrate the arrival of Space Shuttle
> Discovery on April 19 at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
> Center in Chantilly, VA. Participants, the Museum
> and NASA will all be sharing their experiences
> through their favorite social networks.
> Registration to be one of the 30 invited to be in
> the NASA Social group is now closed, but we invite
> everyone to join the conversation on Twitter via
> the #NASASocial hash tag, or follow updates on
> Facebook and Google .

What is so odd about this? Am I missing something?

I'm sorry I have to miss it.

I look forward to you all taking some pics and posting them up. You are true public servants.

Imagine, if you will, a world where conservative doctrine rues the day. Where the only vestige of American exceptionalism is found in museums.

Like the middle aged peasant making a haj to Athens to see the glorious accomplishment of Democracy. Enjoy your fiefdom oh material overlords.

I'll be standing up the street from where I live, where there's a hill-top. Normal air traffic flies right over my house in Reston, so I'm hoping to catch it on video. What sucks however is that the actual flight path is not being released. I'd head over to the airport, but that place is going to be packed beyond belief.

Damn, btw, I wish they were having the ceremony on the weekend.


Oh, and Skywatcher, do you have a POC or a site?

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2012 09:18PM by ThePackLeader.

Yeah, Fuck Pictures! This 2012, get some great video!

VID's Not Pic's Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, Fuck Pictures! This 2012, get some great
> video!

What's "video"?

This video. Beeoooch! AND NO SHAKEY CAMERA WORK!

Rat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ... Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/discovery/lo
>
> > cation.cfm
> >
> > HOLY SHIT, what CUNTS!
> >
> > Read the fine print here friends!
> >
> > VIEWS FROM THE TOWER
> > Visitors love to watch airplanes takeoff and
> land
> > from the Donald D. Engen Tower. A few things to
> > note about Tower operations during the
> Discovery
> > Festival:
> >
> > •The Tower may not be open to the public on
> the
> > day Discovery lands, but photographers say the
> > best views will be from the parking lot anyway.
>
> Why? Is the tower open to only special people?
> Museum Staff?

No, only essential staff. All the operations staff needs is a horde of starry eyed tourists gawking and disrupting their work. Gosh gee whiz they aint got nuthin like this back Beaver Balls. Wait til I call my Maw and Paw! GawHyuuk!!

Louie; they're not talking about the airport tower, but the OBSERVATION tower at the Udvar-Hazy museum.... this tower was built FOR museum visitors but will be closed to the general public for the arrival of Discovery. So your snarky "Gosh gee whiz" should be directed at yourself for not realing a simple fact that everyone else here knows.

for not "realizing" a simple fact (dang small keyboards).

The flight itself is apparently sufficiently "secret" that we can't watch the progress on FlightAware - total bummer.

So...we have to listen/watch websites that realtime announce stuff to get a handle on when the thing is going to appear.

Looks like it'll be "here" in about 10-15 minutes - not landing, just cruisin' on by.

It flew by Arlington about 15 minutes ago. It was flying down-river, which surprised me, I thought it would come in from the south. Too low and fast for me to snap a pic, but it looked pretty cool.

Instead of fucking watching the shuttle fly by how about you get do your work instead!!!!

it actually made a second pass right over Clarendon about 5-10 minutes ago, coming from the west-northwest toward DCA

Last time to see a shuttle in the air. Sad to see the shuttle retire. It was a great run. Many great missions.

Good night Shuttle

Saw it pass the first time, waiting to see it start landing...

gettoworkubitches Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Instead of fucking watching the shuttle fly by how
> about you get do your work instead!!!!

How about you stop reading internet posts and get your work done!

gettoworkubitches Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Instead of fucking watching the shuttle fly by how
> about you get do your work instead!!!!


If you stay in school someday you might be able to afford the time see a once in a lifetime event but probably not.

This was a unique photo-op where conditions or sure were not the best - lighting not the best and I was using my camera in auto-click mode - one button press for multiple frames - that apparently can hurt quality...oopsie!

Anyhow, here's an unresized part of the best frame I got:
Attachments:

Saw it, loved it.

Watched it from an office rooftop in Reston - approached from the east over DC, straight towards us, then gracefully bank to the south heading for its first turnaround over Chantilly - beautiful.

BTW - had I been paying attention I would have seen that the landing gear was NOT down in the above photo, thus rather strongly suggesting a go-around and another photo-op. Instead, I simply went back home and putzed around downloading the images to my PC while HEARING the actual landing.

Sniff...

You still took an amazing picture.


skywatcher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BTW - had I been paying attention I would have
> seen that the landing gear was NOT down in the
> above photo, thus rather strongly suggesting a
> go-around and another photo-op. Instead, I simply
> went back home and putzed around downloading the
> images to my PC while HEARING the actual landing.
>
> Sniff...

I thought the woman on NBC-4 was going to
have an orgasm when it landed.

Amazing sight to see the shuttle fly-by so low. Great detail of the shuttle. It's a shame the US will no longer send men in space.

Oh well the shuttle had a great run. Many great man missions for the US space program.

Budget cuts need to be made and unfortunately the shuttle was one of them.

I just knew that some dumbass or dumbasses would make a remark about my remark to "get back to work" and then say how about I get "back to work". Well this is to PotandKettle.......hey shitfuck.....my weekends are Tuesdays and Wednesdays so I'm not at work you fucking dumbfuck of a wasted sperm shot!!!! Seriously, out of one million sperm from your daddy.........you were the one that broke through!!!

Keep'emFlyiing Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought the woman on NBC-4 was going to
> have an orgasm when it landed.

I got a boner when the shuttle fly by. Better than an orgasm.

Didn't watch NBC-4 but by chance was it Eun Yang because she gives me a RAGING BONER!!!!!!!!! I would love to lick the sweet & sour mamacita!!!! Can't believe a pastor/reverend gets to tap that out every night. Lucky guy, koodos to him!!!

They need to take the shuttle over to Embassy auto wash because it looks really dirty.

It's a dilly in Chantilly!

That bad boy belongs to us now. Come to Loudoun, spend some $$.

@skywatcher- thanks for the picture!

Well, knew this was going to happen.....accidents on I-495 because of this show and tell from NASA. Dumbass fucking drivers in this area just don't have a clue!!!

mud flap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They need to take the shuttle over to Embassy auto
> wash because it looks really dirty.

I thought Embassy Auto Wash only did cars? They do Space Shuttles too?

Pasted by a couple of times,
Attachments:

An iphone shot...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2012 02:12PM by Shadow.
Attachments:

Just showed these awesome pictures to my kid. First question: "What's a space shuttle." I explained. "Oh, like Apollo 13?" Sigh.

Would everyone who lives in a country that has a 30-year space shuttle program please rise with pride?

I DIDN'T SEE THIS POST. WELL SHOULD FCPS EXCUSED THEIR ABSENTS
Attachments:

mixed emotions but cool seeing it

usernmae44 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I DIDN'T SEE THIS POST. WELL SHOULD FCPS EXCUSED
> THEIR ABSENTS

Talked to my daughter about this after school - her school had the kids go outside to see the fly-by - were outside for quite some time.

So...absolutely yes, excuse the absences!

Here I was on my way to the airport vantage point and this thing comes flying down cascades pkwy about to make a right down the potomac, couldnt have been more that 1,000 feet high,

Once I got to the hill, it was just our luck the plane had to scrub the first landing and come around again, right over our heads. freakin sweet.
Attachments:

Louie-Louie FairyCon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ... Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > >
> >
> http://airandspace.si.edu/collections/discovery/lo
>
> >
> > > cation.cfm
> > >
> > > HOLY SHIT, what CUNTS!
> > >
> > > Read the fine print here friends!
> > >
> > > VIEWS FROM THE TOWER
> > > Visitors love to watch airplanes takeoff and
> > land
> > > from the Donald D. Engen Tower. A few things
> to
> > > note about Tower operations during the
> > Discovery
> > > Festival:
> > >
> > > •The Tower may not be open to the public on
> > the
> > > day Discovery lands, but photographers say
> the
> > > best views will be from the parking lot
> anyway.
> >
> > Why? Is the tower open to only special people?
>
> > Museum Staff?
>
> No, only essential staff. All the operations staff
> needs is a horde of starry eyed tourists gawking
> and disrupting their work. Gosh gee whiz they aint
> got nuthin like this back Beaver Balls. Wait til I
> call my Maw and Paw! GawHyuuk!!

Not true, there were "VIP" tickets available to the special ones. I know one asshole who got one from some local Herndon politician.

Nice Work on these photos guys.

Skywatcher that pic just above the trees is killer. A classmate of my Dads from the US Naval Academy Flew on her 2 or 3 times and Atlantis Once. Will definately get your pictures forwarded.

Keep up the good work man.

Best picture!!

http://www.beaconfieldairport.com/beaconfield.html

I just wanted to share my shots from the Capitol...
Attachments:

Bump

Check out these great pictures! Discovery would need a lot of belly tiles replaced if it was ever to be launched again. The Air & Space Museum wanted it in this rough state -- to show exactly what it went through on its last flight through the atmosphere back to earth.

No need for thread bump... there are plenty of pictures online from people who aren't Internett n00bs who upload huge-ass original-resolution pictures.

Thought I'd throw a picture in as well. It was great seeing the Discovery arrive.

I was rather surprised to see the crowds that came out to see it. I thought nobody cared about the space program??!!
Attachments:

I saw a picture of a few people standing on the ROOF of the observation tower at the Udvar-Hazy center. What is this crap?

BTW, they didn't 'scrub' the first landing, it was planned to fly over the airport before heading to DC. Perhaps they shouldn't have, becuase the T-38 ended up having a fuel emergency after 4 hours 10 minutes of flight time.

KeepOnTruckin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I saw a picture of a few people standing on the
> ROOF of the observation tower at the Udvar-Hazy
> center. What is this crap?
>
> BTW, they didn't 'scrub' the first landing, it was
> planned to fly over the airport before heading to
> DC. Perhaps they shouldn't have, becuase the T-38
> ended up having a fuel emergency after 4 hours 10
> minutes of flight time.


Yeah, there really were people on the roof of the observation tower. Saw them there live. I'm guessing they were employees.

Great pictures!