Space Shuttle to Fly Over Alexandria

Residents of Alexandria and eastern Fairfax County have a chance to catch a glimpse of the space shuttle Discovery Tuesday as it flies over the Potomac toward Dulles.

The shuttle will be mounted atop NASA's 747 shuttle carrier aircraft and will fly approximately 1,500 feet above various parts of the Washington metropolitan area. The flight is in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration and is scheduled to occur between 10 and 11 a.m.

The flight timing and exact path will depend on the weather and operation constraints, according to NASA. However, NASA staff expect the aircraft to fly over landmarks including the National Mall, Reagan National Airport, Old Town Alexandria and National Harbor. It will land at Dulles International Airport.

NASA Television and the agency's web site will provide live coverage.

The spacecraft is destined for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, according to NASA staff.

“After the shuttle fleet was retired last year, the orbiters are being sent to museums so the public can enjoy and learn from them,” NASA spokesman Michael Cabbage said Monday.

Discovery completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the earth 5,830 times and traveled 148,221,675 miles.