Years
Discovery will have "spent a total of 365 days in space" in 39 flights
Seems a suspiciously convenient number of days...
Shirley NASA didn't plan that? mind you, no, they would have got it wrong by forgetting leap years or something...
Space shuttle Discovery is set to bow out tomorrow with its final homecoming at the end of a distinguished career which began on 30 August, 1984. Discovery performs its flyaround of the International Space Station as both spacecraft orbit over the Sahara Desert. Pic: NASA TV The venerable vehicle has two landing …
"And think how much technology has changed since her first launch."
In terms of the outside world quite a lot. In terms of the Shuttle itself, not much.
NASA has spent at least a *billion* dollars on *developing* upgrades but *very* few have been retro-fitted.
It's retirement is *not* sad as it has reached (if not exceeded) its useful life, but the missed opportunities, the wrong conclusions drawn about future systems and the *disgraceful* behavior of some Senators *is*.