This remote-control toy allows the purchaser to play with a relatively accurate model of the Space Shuttle Discovery. The third Space Shuttle to be built, Discovery, also known as orbital vehicle 103 or OV-103, made its first flight in 1984 (STS-41-D) and served as the vehicle for two return-to-flight missions (STS-26 in 1988 after the Challenger explosion in 1986 and STS-114 in 2005 after the Columbia loss in 2003). The Hubble Space Telescope was launched and serviced during missions aboard Discovery.
The manufacturers of this toy emphasized the realistic appearance of the product, including markings and features on the spacecraft's nose, forward fuselage, wings, and aft fuselage. Products like this are marketed to appeal to youth and hobbyists interested in the technology of space exploration.
Valerie Neal, the National Air and Space Museum curator who oversees artifacts from the Space Shuttle program, donated it to the National Collection in 2003.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.