By putting the whole system on display it will allow us to talk more about the engineering and science behind it and what it takes to go into space.” “The orbiter alone could not go into space. “It will be an incredibly dramatic display, but it will also allow us to put on display the whole system,” said Jeffrey Rudolph, president and CEO of the museum. Officials were on hand Wednesday to break ground on the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at the museum, where it will become the only place people will be able to see the shuttle in that position. Its future though will see the orbiter remated with the last intact external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters and put on display vertically for the public to see. It has since made the cross-country trip to its new home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles where it has been on display resting horizontally since 2012. If you have been, I would love to hear what you thought in the comments.It’s been 11 years since Space Shuttle Endeavour finished its last mission landing at Kennedy Space Center on June 1, 2011. Seeing it in person does put it into perspective. As I said before, I didn’t even have a ton of interest in seeing it, but after I did, now I recommend it to everyone I talk to. These things were huge!Īfter you walk around and take it all in, there is a small gift shop before you exit the hanger to go back to the museum.įor only 2 dollars a person to print your ticket, I cannot recommend this experience more. One of the craziest things for me was seeing how massive the engines are at the back of the shuttle. Along the outer wall are pictures and stories from all of its flights. The Endeavor is elevated over everyone who is viewing it, and you are not able to touch it as it is higher than anyone can reach. Without my wide angle lens, I would not have been able to fit it in my picture. Like I said earlier, seeing this space shuttle up close truly is amazing. While this is far away from where the initial line is you are given a poker chip that provides you with access and without one, you are not allowed to go in. I guess you do learn something new every day.Īfter visiting the exhibit, you are ushered down to the hanger where the space shuttle currently resides. Also, in the exhibit, I learned that astronauts eat tortillas instead of bread as the crumbs from bread can get stuck in electronics when they float around in zero gravity. Oh, let’s not forget the Patron Saint of Pilots and Astronauts on display as well. Some of my favorite things to see here were the replica of the mission control center at NASA, the pictures from all of the different adventures the shuttle went on, and a video of timelapse footage from moving the Endeavour through the streets of Los Angeles. This exhibit houses all sorts of stories, memorabilia, and facts about the shuttle. The Endeavour ExhibitĪlong with the actual hangar that houses the Endeavour, the California Science Center has also created an exhibit to spotlight its history. When that center opens in five years, the shuttle will be on display in its vertical launch position. The museum will display the shuttle horizontally in the pavilion while it builds a new addition to its facility, the Air and Space Center. The Endeavour itself flew on 25 missions into space. Entries included an essay about the name, the story behind it and why it was appropriate for a NASA shuttle, and the project that supported the name. Endeavour was the most popular entry, accounting for almost one-third of the state-level winners. The Endeavour was named through a national competition involving students in elementary and secondary schools. Endeavor first flew in May 1992 on mission STS-49, and its last mission STS-134 was in May 2011. The Endeavour was the fifth and final space-worthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger, which was destroyed 73 seconds after its launch on January 28, 1986.
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