Since April, NASA will begin sending four shuttles to the final 'resting' location, after the fleet was 'retired' last year.
After a dismantling process, the fleet - consisting of three shuttle ships that had been in operation and a test ship - was nearly ready for public display.
On April 17, Discovery will be placed on the back of a Boeing 747 to travel to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Virginia. Endeavor will arrive in Los Angeles in mid-September. As of early 2013, Atlantis will be permanently displayed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The experimental shuttle Enterprise will fly to New York City next month.
The following images were recorded in the final days of NASA's fleet dismantling before they were put on display at museums across the United States.
At the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the ship's cockpit
The Atlantis was turned on for the last time before being dismantled.
The Atlantis was towed to a building to serve
dismantling work at Kennedy Space Center.
Discovery ship is located at the dismantling area. Discovery has made 39 trips
fly success and its ultimate mission takes place in March 2-3 / 2011.
The technical staff sits next to the main propulsion systems
Endeavor's ship after they are removed from the hull.
The staff participated in the dismantling of the shuttle Endeavor.
The technical staff are moving the seats on Discovery.
The crane is lifting an Atlantis ship's airlock name device.
Endeavor at the dismantling area.
The six main shuttle engines line up at the Kennedy Space Center.
The dismantling of the shuttle before taking away
display is a necessary work of NASA.
Space shuttle Discovery (right) and Endeavor at Kennnedy Space Center.
Model of a shuttle is displayed at the Kennedy Space Center.
The outer fuel tank of the shuttle.
Atlantis Space Shuttle.
