Space Shuttle Discovery’s 747 flight over Washington, DC documented in photos

As part of Discovery’s farewell tour, the venerable Space Shuttle was strapped to the back of a specially-modified 747 airplane and flown over Washington, DC today. Unsurprisingly, this was a big deal for both space aficionados and the average citizen alike, and people turned out in droves around the city to watch Discovery’s final flight. The Washington Post was there to capture the moment and has shared a gallery of images from the day, including the shuttle patriotically flying over a number of Washington landmarks and a variety of shots of the onlookers, many of whom took to their roofs to get a better view. Now that the flight has concluded, Discovery will be prepped for one last trip to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space museum, where it’ll be on display for all to see.