Retired NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour to be Relocated from California Science Center
Los Angeles, CA – The iconic retired NASA space shuttle Endeavour will soon bid farewell to its current home at the California Science Center. After an incredible 11-year exhibition, the public will no longer be able to marvel at the spacecraft starting from the end of 2023.
The exhibit at the California Science Center allowed visitors to not only walk around the space shuttle but also walk underneath it, as it was displayed horizontally atop raised mounts. However, the science center has exciting plans in store for Endeavour. The orbiter will be stood up in a vertical position, complete with a pair of solid rocket boosters and an external tank, replicating its appearance on the launch pad.
This new vertical display will become the centerpiece of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, which is currently under construction. Although the building and exhibits are expected to be completed in early 2024, public access will not be available for a few more years.
The last opportunity for the public to see Endeavour on exhibit will be on Sunday, December 31, 2023. Project manager Dennis Jenkins expressed his anticipation for the new exhibit, while also acknowledging the sentimental value of the current setup.
During its time at the California Science Center, nearly 20 million people visited the exhibit, with a majority of visitors including the space shuttle as part of their experience. Endeavour became an iconic backdrop for various events, including the annual Yuri’s Night world space party and Hollywood premieres. The pavilion even made appearances in movies like “Satellite Beach” and “Moonfall.”
The retired space shuttle also drew former crew members, who made special visits to the exhibition. However, space enthusiasts need not despair entirely as the California Science Center plans to have a temporary exhibit previewing the new vertical display, including some space shuttle artifacts.
While Endeavour bids adieu to the California Science Center, its fellow flown orbiters, Discovery and Atlantis, continue to be showcased at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex respectively. Additionally, the prototype Enterprise remains on display at the Intrepid Museum, and visitors can tour the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft that transported Endeavour to Los Angeles at Space Center Houston.
The transition of Endeavour from its current horizontal exhibit to a vertical display marks an exciting new chapter for this iconic space shuttle. Space enthusiasts and the general public eagerly await the completion of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center to witness this remarkable sight.
“Social media scholar. Reader. Zombieaholic. Hardcore music maven. Web fanatic. Coffee practitioner. Explorer.”