Discovery
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Space Shuttle Discovery is a reusable spacecraft that was part of NASA's Space Shuttle program, designed to carry astronauts and cargo to orbit and back to Earth. It matters because it was used for numerous important missions including deploying satellites, conducting scientific research, and helping to construct and resupply the International Space Station.
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Space Shuttle Discovery at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Discovery rollout ceremony in October 1983 Discovery and SCA 905 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, November 6, 1983
Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is a retired American Space Shuttle orbiter. The spaceplane was one of the orbiters from NASA's Space Shuttle program and the third of five fully operational orbiters to be built. Its first mission, STS-41-D, flew from August 30 to September 5, 1984. Over 27 years of service it launched and landed 39 times, aggregating more spaceflights than any other spacecraft as of December 2024. The Space Shuttle launch vehicle had three main components: the Space Shuttle orbiter, a single-use central fuel tank, and two reusable solid rocket boosters. Nearly 25,000 heat-resistant tiles cover the orbiter to protect it from high temperatures on re-entry.