Endeavour (OV-105) was the fifth and final Shuttle built. It embarked on its first mission, STS-49, in May 1992 and its 25th and final mission, STS-134, in May 2011. NASA chose, on cost grounds, to build much of Endeavour from spare parts rather than refitting the Space Shuttle Enterprise. After more than twenty organizations submitted proposals to NASA for the display of an orbiter, NASA announced that Endeavour would go to the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The exhibit was opened on October 30, 2012, at the temporary Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion.

Orbiter OV-104 Atlantis seen on short final to runway 22L at Edwards following the completion of STS-125. This was a mission to refurbish the Hubble Space Telescope and used a full crew of seven.

Waiting for the ceremony to exchange it for 'Discovery"

A rare sight to see two Space Shuttles nose to nose. The occasion is the ceremony at the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy museum at IAD to exchange the museum's Enterprise, which never flew in space, for the OV-103 Discovery which flew more missions than any other Shuttle. It's interesting to compare the pristine appearance of the Enterprise to the post re-entry wear on the Discovery.

Seen at the ceremony to exchange Discovery for Enterprise at the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy museum at IAD. Discovery is now displayed there just as it appeared after it's last flight.

On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis was the fourth operational Shuttle to be built, flying its maiden flight in Oct. 1985. It flew a total of 33 missions, including the final mission of the Space Shuttle program in July 2011. A look inside the payload bay shows the rear pressure bulkhead, external airlock, the Canadarm robotic arm and the electrically deployed payload bay doors.

On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis was the fourth operational Shuttle to be built, flying its maiden flight in Oct. 1985. It flew a total of 33 missions, including the final mission of the Space Shuttle program in July 2011. Atlantis orbited the Earth a total of 4,848 times or about 203 million km.

On display at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum. Named after a sailing ship that had pioneered scientific research, Discovery flew its first mission in 1984 and last in 2011 for a total of 39 spaceflights, more than any other Space Shuttle or spacecraft. It spent 365 days in space and clocked more than 238 million km. Reinforced carbon-carbon on the nose cone differs in color with the tessellation of 30,757 silica tiles forming the heat shield.

Shuttle development vehicle used for the Approach and Landing Test Program

Of all the larger exhibits at the NASM Udvar-Hazy Center I presumed beforehand that this Shuttle would interest me the least. However, once actually up close to 'Discovery' I was completely starstruck, just trying to comprehend fully what it had experienced and what it had achieved was quite awe-inspiring.

The business end of 'Discovery'. After a total of exactly one year in space she has earned her retirement at the NASM Udvar-Hazy center.