Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off on her 39th and final mission, STS-133. 24 February 2011.
The crew of STS-133 before launch. From left to right: Mission Specialists Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Alvin Drew, and Steve Bowen; Pilot Eric Boe; Commander Steve Lindsey.
Also known as ISS Assembly Flight ULF5, Discovery was tasked with delivering the Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) Leonardo to the International Space Station. Leonardo had been used on seven previous flights, during which it was designated Multipurpose Logistics Module-1 (MPLM-1), before being permanently berthed to the ISS.
Discovery with PMM Leonardo in the payload bay, as seen from the International Space Station.
The mission also delivered Express Logistics Carrier-4 (ELC-4), which was installed on the station’s starboard truss, facing Earth, as well as Robonaut 2, designed to assist astronauts during extravehicular activities, though it has not done so to date.
On 9 March 2011, Discovery completed STS-133 when she touched down at the Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, ending an impressive career of 39 flights and more than 5,000 orbits around Earth — ranging from the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope to helping assemble the International Space Station.
Discovery lands at the Shuttle Landing Facility. 9 March 2011.
NASA, 2, 3, 4, 5
