Space Shuttle Endeavour Vertical Display: A Milestone Achievement for the California Science Center

After a three-day journey through city streets, Space Shuttle Endeavour finally arrived at its permanent museum home at the California Science Center. This crowning achievement marks the culmination of an 11-year process since the last space shuttle was built, capturing Californians' attention as it made its final flight aboard a Boeing 747, passing by iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Hollywood sign before landing in Los Angeles.

The dramatic finale is expected to take place as early as January, where cranes will raise the spacecraft from its horizontal position to point vertically for its final display. This momentous event will be followed by the construction of the rest of the museum around it. However, visitors may have to wait years before Endeavour becomes available for up-close viewing again.

The countdown has begun for Endeavour's vertical display, with careful planning and precision required to ensure a successful outcome. The shuttle will be carefully moved to the new building site on December 31st, marking the end of its exhibition in a horizontal position. This major milestone comes about a year after ground was broken on the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

The vertical display requires meticulous attention to detail, as even a slight misalignment could cause significant problems later on. Dennis Jenkins, project director for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, emphasizes the importance of accurately positioning the solid rocket boosters: 'You could arguably say (the base of the boosters are) the most critical piece to put in because they determine how everything else works.'

The full stack, consisting of the shuttle Endeavour, a giant orange external tank, and half-million pounds of solid rocket boosters, will rest on the base of the boosters bolted to the ground by eight supersized fasteners. Workers will use a 300-ton crane to lower the bottom sections of the twin solid rocket boosters, which are 10,000 pounds apiece and roughly 9 feet tall, to the freshly built lowest section of the partly constructed $400-million Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

To prepare for this grand move, crews will begin installing the base of the shuttle's full stack on July 20. This marks the beginning of a delicate six-month process, weather permitting, where workers will conduct various maneuvers to ensure Endeavour's successful vertical display. As the California Science Center prepares for this milestone achievement, visitors can look forward to an exciting new exhibit in the years to come.

Space shuttle endeavour vertical display