Space Shuttle Endeavour Reopens Upright in Los Angeles After 25 Missions
Updated
Updated · NASA · Nov 13
Space Shuttle Endeavour Reopens Upright in Los Angeles After 25 Missions
3 articles · Updated · NASA · Nov 13
Summary
Nov. 13 marks Endeavour’s return to public view at the California Science Center, now displayed upright in launch position in its new permanent home.
NASA paired the reopening with a look back at the shuttle’s Sept. 21, 2012 final ferry flight, when millions watched Endeavour ride atop a 747 across California landmarks.
Three NASA Armstrong imaging staff helped shape that farewell route and capture its best-known images, coordinating with chase aircraft, LAPD helicopters, the FAA, LAX and Johnson Space Center.
Endeavour’s final journey passed the Hollywood sign, Dodger Stadium, the Golden Gate Bridge and other landmarks before reaching Los Angeles, where crowds turned out across the state.
The orbiter, which helped begin International Space Station assembly, completed 25 missions and is intended to inspire a new generation inside the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
What hidden historical secrets does the world's only complete, vertically displayed space shuttle system reveal to those exploring its flight deck?
Beyond the towering shuttle, what immersive futuristic technologies inside this massive new exhibition are quietly preparing children for tomorrow's space missions?
How did engineers safely mount a 200-foot retired space shuttle completely upright in an earthquake-prone city like Los Angeles?