Ready for Liftoff: Space Shuttle Endeavour Takes Its Place Among the Stars
Staff Editor The final frontier just got a little closer to home as the Space Shuttle Endeavour embarks on its last odyssey, this time on the back of a high-rise-sized crane. While it may be a few years before space enthusiasts can once again walk in the hallowed halls of this retired NASA veteran, the good news is that if you happen to be in Los Angeles, you can catch a sneak peek of the shuttle right now – well, at least the top part of it.
The intricate process of relocating the space shuttle began with the delicate task of removing a smaller crane that had been attached to the back of the ship, followed by a meticulously orchestrated vertical lift that commenced shortly after midnight. It took over two hours of precision and patience to get the angle just right, but eventually, the shuttle achieved a “soft mate” with the stack in the early morning. Subsequent meticulous adjustments culminated in a “hard mate” to securely fasten the flight hardware bolts and nuts the following evening.
With the shuttle’s major vertical move successfully completed, the stage is set for the construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center around this iconic symbol of human ingenuity. After a remarkable journey that spanned 123 million miles around our planet, the Space Shuttle Endeavour spent the last decade in a temporary tent on the west side of the California Science Center, where visitors could admire it from a distance, walking around and underneath its colossal form.
However, the days of peering at the shuttle from a temporary vantage point are numbered as it awaits its new home and a grand reopening to the public. The prospect of being able to stand face to face with this engineering marvel once again is enough to send shivers down the spine of any space enthusiast. So, while the Space Shuttle Endeavour might have retired from its adventures in the cosmos, its new mission at the heart of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center promises to inspire and awe for generations to come.
