The tow vehicle, beeping while moving backward, tugged Discovery into place in fits and starts, her arrival crew making sure she was aligned perfectly on the floor.
One final movement forward and the United Space Alliance team member signaled to the tow vehicle to shut down yelling, “That’s it!” There were scattered hollers and applause, and then silence.
It felt like it should have been a more familiar and official phrase, spoken after every shuttle landing: “Houston, Discovery. Wheels stopped. Welcome home.”
Astronaut Alan Poindexter, once commander of Discovery on STS-131, walked past her and said heavily, “She looks great, but she’s in the wrong hangar.”
The week was full of both excitement and heavy hearts as the one time daily pride of thousands of NASA workers became the proud new attraction for the residents of the Washington, DC area.
They embraced her with thrilled oohs and ahs during her flyover and cheers as she moved over to the museum flanked by rows of astronauts and shuttle workers.
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