Shuttle's final salute caps off 30 years of Discovery (51 images)

NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery flew it's final flight on April 17, 2012, soaring over Washington, D.C. on it's way to a permanent installation at Dulles International Airport. After 30 years, NASA ended the space shuttle program last summer.

NASA's Space Shuttle "Discovery" launches on its final mission, STS 133, at 4:53 PM from Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on February 24, 2011. UPI/Joe Marino-Bill Cantrell

License photo | Permalink

---

---

This NASA image released on February 20, 2011 shows the crew of space shuttle Discovery mission STS-133, including, from left, Nicole Stott, Michael Barratt, Steve Bowen and Alvin Drew, pilot Eric Boe and Commander Steve Lindsey, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida. NASA/Kim Shiflett/NASA.

License photo | Permalink

---

---

This NASA image released on February 1, 2011 shows space shuttle Discovery as it sits on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. UPI/Kim Shiflett/NASA

License photo | Permalink

---

---

This NASA image released on October 11, 2010 shows technicians loading the Permanent Multipurpose Module inside of Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. UPI/Dimitri Gerondidakis/NASA

License photo | Permalink

---

---