THIS DAY IN HISTORY: Space Shuttle Discovery Launches for Final Time in 2011
By Space Coast Daily // February 24, 2026
flashback to February 24, 2011
ABOVE VIDEO: The final launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-133. February 24, 2011.
BREVARD COUNTY • CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Fifteen years ago today, the roar of engines and a pillar of fire lit up the Florida sky as Space Shuttle Discovery began its final journey into space.
At 4:53 p.m. ET, STS-133 thundered off the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, marking the 39th and final mission for Space Shuttle Discovery. Aboard were six astronauts embarking on a historic flight that would close an extraordinary chapter in American space exploration.
Discovery’s final launch was more than just another mission — it was a farewell to the most flown orbiter in NASA’s shuttle fleet.
Over 27 years of service, Discovery traveled nearly 149 million miles and spent a record-setting 365 days in orbit, more than any other shuttle in history. From deploying the Hubble Space Telescope to helping construct the International Space Station, Discovery played a pivotal role in shaping humanity’s presence in space.
During STS-133, the crew delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module (Leonardo), critical supplies, and the Robonaut 2 humanoid robot to the International Space Station — further advancing research and technology aboard the orbiting laboratory. It was a mission that symbolized both innovation and transition, as NASA prepared to retire the shuttle program later that year.
Discovery first flew in 1984 and quickly became a workhorse for the agency. It returned America to flight following both the Challenger and Columbia tragedies, carried groundbreaking scientific payloads, and helped build the framework of international cooperation in space.
As Discovery rose into the heavens for the last time 15 years ago, thousands watched from Florida’s Space Coast, knowing they were witnessing history. The shuttle’s ascent was both triumphant and bittersweet — a celebration of decades of achievement and a reminder that a new era of exploration was on the horizon.
Today, Discovery rests at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center, preserved as a testament to the ingenuity, courage, and determination of the people who built, flew, and supported it.
Fifteen years later, the image of Discovery climbing into the sky remains unforgettable — a final salute from a spacecraft that truly defined a generation of spaceflight.
