Space Shuttle Endeavour Displayed in Launch Configuration at California Science Center
NASA's retired space shuttle Endeavour was carefully hoisted and attached to a huge external fuel tank and its two solid rocket boosters at the California Science Center in Exposition Park.
Endeavour Displayed for Blast-Off at California Science Center
NASA's retired space shuttle Endeavour was carefully hoisted late Monday and attached to a huge external fuel tank and its two solid rocket boosters at the California Science Center in Exposition Park where it will be uniquely displayed as if it is about to blast off.
A massive crane delicately moved the orbiter, which is 122 feet long and has a 78-foot wingspan, into the partially built Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at the museum.
Crews then attached Endeavour, covered in a protective wrapping, to the tank in a process that lasted into the predawn hours Tuesday. The building will be completed around Endeavour before the display opens to the public.
Jeffrey N. Rudolph, president and CEO of the science center, estimated it will take up to two years to finish the project. He expressed the amazement of people at the scale of the exhibit, stating that even those who have seen the shuttle before are in awe of it.
Authentic Components and Engineering Memories
The vertical launch configuration of the shuttle system at the California Science Center is made up of authentic components, including the external tank that was flight-qualified. Larry Clark, a veteran NASA contractor and consultant to the project, described the process of hoisting the tank into position as incredible, as it brought back a lot of memories for him as a former shuttle engineer.
Clark mentioned that seeing the shuttle in its launch configuration is quite a melancholic experience for him. He had witnessed every space shuttle on the launch pad during his career. The attachments of the tank and rocket boosters will be further tightened in the coming days.
Endeavour, which flew 25 missions between 1992 and 2011, was transported to the California Science Center in 2012 and displayed horizontally in a temporary exhibit hall. The vertical display construction began in July and has reached a significant milestone with the installation of the tank and boosters.
Future Plans and NASA's Shuttle Program
In addition to completing the building, the California Science Center plans to install about 100 other aircraft and spacecraft, along with numerous interpretive exhibits. The project has raised around $360 million of its $400 million cost.
NASA operated a total of five shuttles in space, with Endeavour being one of them. Unfortunately, the Challenger and Columbia shuttles faced tragic accidents resulting in the loss of their crews. Retired shuttles Atlantis and Discovery, along with the test ship Enterprise, are displayed in various locations across the country.
The vertical display of Endeavour is a significant step in showcasing the space shuttle's grandeur and historical importance to the public. The completion of the project will allow visitors to witness the shuttle as if it is ready for launch.
