(Rob Schenk)

We’ve been consumed today by the arrival at Dulles International Airport of the Space Shuttle Discovery, which after many years of service exploring the skies above Earth, is set to enjoy its retirement at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center.

All across the Washington area, people pulled their cars to the side of the road, peered out their windows or stepped outside and on rooftops to catch a glimpse of the ship being ferried on the back of a Boeing 747 as it made its final descent.

Except, not everyone knew the shuttle’s name. In fact, more than a few appeared to mix Discovery up with the most famous ship in the space shuttle program: Challenger, which exploded on takeoff on January 28, 1986, killing all seven astronauts aboard.

The resulting expressions of joy of seeing today’s flyover were, well, a little awkward: