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Shuttle Discovery welcomed at Smithsonian

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  • Description

    Celebration as spacecraft finds new home

  • Duration 3:45
  • Date

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This transcript is automatically generated

Is very exciting what's -- on today and a very rare -- as we've been talking about to see these two retired.

Shuttle aircraft.

Literally nose to nose as you've been saying it's a site that that really is something very very unusual and rare.

It is the end of the road at least for now for the space shuttle discovery that's going to be in the Smithsonian but this is the beginning of a journey for this Space Shuttle Enterprise enterprise is going to -- Have a similar flight Microsoft piggy backing -- a 747.

And it's gonna fly right -- New York City on Monday if -- -- there some concern about the weather are reading but if it goes according to plan.

Enterprise will fly over Manhattan -- all all along some of the popular landmarks around New York City so that should be quite a site on Monday it all.

-- at JFK.

And then stayed there for a little while before it makes his final trip TV and truck bed.

Ice and it air and space museum.

Where it will be displayed.

And it's gonna make that trip on a barge so we have quite a few miles ahead of the enterprise.

For the discovery though a little bit of arrested at the Smithsonian.

And you know it took a well deserved rest because as we've been talking about the discovery has flown more than any other.

A member of the shuttle fleet 39 missions.

In all and when we get a chance to see these two spacecraft side by side -- you'll notice that they they look very very different.

The enterprise was a prototype it actually never went into orbit.

And the discovery is we've been saying has flown.

Quite a bit and so.

Discovery will look a little weathered -- looks like maybe it needs a paint job but they've actually said NASA that they don't want -- -- any way they want to look.

Exactly as it as it does look because it really you know was put to such good use over the years -- it.

Reflect some hard work that's been done by the discovery and its -- regenerate now by captain Scott Altman he's a former NASA shuttle pilot and I captain as you take a look at some of the scenes are taking in today what goes through your mind.

Well you really look back at the history of the shuttle and it all kind of comes rushing back -- you see that of course with discovery enterprise together.

Thinking about how -- -- -- pave the way that we can actually land this 250000.

Pound brick.

Safely and then -- discovery in the history did it have like you mentioned so many flights.

It's been such a great ride for the shuttle program -- a little bit about what you did as an astronaut.

Well my -- my career I flew four times twice as a pile in the right -- twice as the mission commander in the left seat.

Each -- is actually hand flown by the mission commander in the left seat to touchdown.

So that's the most stressful part for the commander because you know everybody's watching the landing you want to make sure looks picture perfect.

And once you burn your engines there's no going around -- going back from that moment on you're gonna hit the ground somewhere and you want to make sure there's a runway underneath you when you do.

That was give you some perspective for the rest in your life right as far as what it is real pressure and a real stress vs navy.

The small stuff that's not quite as serious.

Got that perspective I think does help a little bit plus just being able to see the planet when you're on orbit and -- and out at how wonderful this world is it just.

Really makes you appreciate what we have.

Can you really were able to have a vantage point that very few people.

Had been able to see and now we know that this shuttle program right now it is stalled the say the least.

It with that news what kind of emotions does that bring.

What I think transitions are always difficult when you go from something that you know and love an old friend who took care of you especially me so while.

To orbit and back but you realize eventually.

We need to move on we need to -- go different places and I'm hopeful that space program will continue and we'll set our sights on some new goals.

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