Photos of Discovery's Final Mission: STS-133

Discovery Comes Home

With its drag chute unfurled, space shuttle Discovery rolls down Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Landing was at 11:57 a.m. EST, completing the 13-day STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.

Home at Last

Space shuttle Discovery's 39th and final flight concluded on March 9, 2011. Here, the "towback" vehicle pulls the spacecraft into Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a well-deserved rest. NASA will now prepare Discovery for future public display.

Discovery's Last Crew: A Final Pose

The last crew of shuttle Discovery, the STS-133 astronauts, poses for a photo in front of on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida after landing on March 9, 2011.

Discovery Touches Down

Space shuttle Discovery touches down on Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to end its final mission - STS-133 - on March 9, 2011. Landing was at 11:57 a.m. EST.

Waiting for the Return

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden talks to about 50 eighth-grade students from McNair Magnet Middle School in Rockledge, Fla., and other invited guests who are at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to watch shuttle Discovery return from space for the last time.

Welcome Home, Discovery!

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, about 50 eighth-grade students from McNair Magnet Middle School in Rockledge, Fla., and other invited guests watch shuttle Discovery return from space for the last time. Discovery touched down on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at 11:57 a.m. EST, completing the 13-day STS-133 mission to the International Space Station.

Awaiting Inspection

Two spent shuttle solid rocket boosters await inspection and cleaning near Hangar AF at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The boosters were used during space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 launch from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A on Feb. 24.

Space Shuttle Discovery Landing

Space shuttle Discovery lands at Kennedy Space Center in Florida to complete its 39th and final flight.

The Final Landing

Space shuttle Discovery lands back on Earth on March 9, 2011 after completing its final mission, STS-133. Discovery landed at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:57 a.m. EST.

Discovery's Last Space Close-Up

Space shuttle Discovery sails high over the southwestern coast of Morocco in this image taken by International Space Station astronauts just after the two vehicles undocked on March 7, 2011 during the STS-133 mission.

Space Road to Morocco

Space shuttle Discovery floats over southern Morocco during the ISS fly-around before departing to return to Earth.