And nose gear touchdown, and the end of a historic journey.
And to the ship that has led the way time and time again,...
...we say, "Farewell, Discovery".
Soon after landing, NASA officials, including administrator Charles Bolden...
...and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, thanked Discovery's six - member crew.
If my numbers are correct, it's the 39th flight on Discovery.
Discovery has a very special place for me and for Bob Cabana over here...
...because we both had an opportunity to fly on it twice,...
...and so this is very bittersweet for all of us.
Discovery is the fleet's longest - serving shuttle.
"It is in the same condition after its final landing, as it was after its first blastoff",...
...said Mission Commander Steve Lindsey.
And if you think about a vehicle that's 26 or 27 years old, been flying for that long,...
...to come back perfect,...
...I have never seen an airplane be able to do that.
NASA is retiring its shuttle fleet this year,...
...marking the end of an era.
Charlie mentioned, it's a pretty bittersweet moment for all of us.
As the minutes pass, I'm actually getting sadder and sadder about this being the last flight,...
...and I know all the folks involved in the shuttle program feel the same way.
Discovery will retire to a museum,...
...after logging 238 million kilometers in space during its high-flying career.
Suzanne Presto, VOA News.
