Dates: April 14 - 17, 2012
On April 17, 2012, space shuttle Discovery will depart out of the Kennedy Space Center for the last time. This time on top of a Boeing 747! The orbiter will be placed on top of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and flown to its new destination at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.
Schedule for April 17, 2012
5:00 a.m. - KSCVC opens. Between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m. there will be limited operations open to the public including Early Space Exploration, the Rocket Garden, Exploration Space: Explorer's Wanted, Robot Scouts, The Space Shop and Coffee Cart. A jumbotron screen will be set up in the Rocket Garden for those viewing the fly-over from the Visitor Complex.
5:30 a.m. - Bus boarding begins for those who have purchased the Discovery Fly-Out Transportation.
6:00 a.m. - Breakfast will be available for purchase in the Rocket Garden.
7:30 a.m. - IMAX and Shuttle Launch Experience will open.
8:30 - 9:30 a.m. - Book signing by Astronaut Charlie Walker in The Space Shop.
9:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Book signing by Astronaut Hank Hartsfield in The Space Shop.
11:00 a.m. - A special Astronat Encounter with Charlie Walker and Hank Hartsfield, crew members of STS 41-D, in Astronaut Encounter Theater.
Activities and schedule subject to change.
Weather Update - As of 5:00 a.m. EST, April 17
The weather is a "GO" for today's 7:00 a.m. fly-out opportunity. Discovery and the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft are expected to fly-over Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex around 7:20 a.m. EST.