Spanning 25 flights, a journey to Los Angeles on a 747, and a parade through the city streets, the Space Shuttle Endeavour has now completed its final adventure by being hoisted by a massive crane. On Monday night, the California Science Center raised the 178,000-pound orbiter into a vertical position using a crane, positioning it at the future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, with the orange fuel tank and rocket boosters in the backdrop. Positioned vertically and ready to launch, Endeavour’s successful lift-off marks the culmination of a significant event, part of the museum’s “Go for Stack” series.
Photo: Michael Juliano of Time Out It will be several years before visitors can enter the museum to see the retired NASA spacecraft, but the top portion of it is currently visible. The front portion of the orbiter, along with a large fuel tank and rockets, are visible from various locations within Exposition Park. The optimal view of the shuttle is from the plaza or the green area between the Coliseum and BMO Stadium, although a closer but partially obscured view can also be obtained near the northern rose garden. It is recommended to see it soon, as ongoing construction will increasingly obstruct views of the stack until it is ultimately concealed by the structure’s roof.
Photo: Michael Juliano Because of Time Last July, the museum initiated its “Go for Stack” project by using a crane to transport the rear skirts, which are part of the rocket booster, to the construction site. In November, the 116-foot-long solid rocket motors were similarly transported, followed shortly by the forward assemblies. Earlier this month, the large orange fuel tank, ET-94, which was previously displayed outside the old Endeavour showroom, was also moved to the site. The final element, the sky, was temporarily housed in a building on the opposite side of the museum until the end of 2023. The horizontal ship was then raised on the containers, bringing it closer to the construction site. Around 9:30 p.m. on Monday night, after a small crowd gathered on State Drive to observe, multiple cranes hoisted it into an upright position within around half an hour.
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
We were granted access to observe the event from inside the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. Following the removal of a small apparatus from the rear of the ship and proper positioning, the shuttle began its vertical ascent shortly after midnight. A 450-foot crane gradually raised the Endeavour to the construction site near the fuel tank, then lowered it into place, which took approximately an hour. Subsequent adjustments and maneuvers were executed until the shuttle was securely positioned as part of the stack by morning, with further work scheduled for the following evening to secure the next set of bolts and nuts.
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Last Time With the significant shuttle relocation now completed, the construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will proceed. After traveling over 123 million kilometers around Earth, the Space Shuttle Endeavour spent the past decade on public display inside a temporary tent west of the California Science Center, where visitors could explore the shuttle. The upcoming expansion will enable visitors to view the retired NASA spacecraft from various elevated vantage points, including through the nose cone. Although the museum has not specified an opening date, the initial estimate is three years for construction, with the building expected to be inaugurated in 2022. You can watch the complete hour-and-a-half stream of the museum’s elevation here, as well as view our video of the ascent and additional photos below.
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
Photo: Michael Juliano for Time Out
