THE HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT BLOG: From the Space Shuttle to Beyond

NASA / Jim Grossmann

Endeavour: Retirement Update... Last week, engineers inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida finished constructing the tail cone that will fly on Endeavour during her ferry trip to California in late September. The tail cone is designed to protect Endeavour's three Replica Shuttle Main Engines from air turbulence during her cross-country flight to SoCal. The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft designated as NASA 905, which brought Discovery to Virginia in mid-April and Enterprise to New York City later that month, is the jumbo jet that will fly Endeavour to Los Angeles four months from now.

In other Endeavour-related news, construction continues on the temporary hangar that will house the orbiter at the California Science Center—Endeavour's final home. The temporary hangar will be known as the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, while the new museum wing where the vehicle will become a permanent exhibit is going to be called the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center...in honor of the late philanthropist whose foundation donated a generous amount of money to the California Science Center earlier this month. The Center's goal is to raise around $200 million to build the Air and Space Center, and hopefully have Endeavour displayed vertically (to simulate a launch position) inside of it.


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Kim Shiflett


NASA / Jim Grossmann


NASA / Jim Grossmann