Space shuttle Endeavour’s towering display set for November
▼ Summary
– The article states that certain sights, like the aurora or the Grand Canyon, cannot be truly captured by photography.
– A new sight of this kind debuts on November 13 at the California Science Center with the display of the space shuttle Endeavor.
– The Endeavor is displayed in a launch-pad-like position inside the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
– Science center president Jeffrey Rudolph says the display exceeds expectations and leaves visitors in awe.
– It took four years to construct the center and stack the shuttle, a feat many thought impossible without NASA facilities.
There are some experiences that transcend even the most vivid photography. Think of witnessing the aurora borealis dance across the Arctic sky, standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon, or floating above the Great Barrier Reef. Astronauts often say that no camera can truly convey the profound darkness of space or the breathtaking beauty of Earth from orbit.
On Friday, November 13, a new wonder of that caliber will debut in Los Angeles. The California Science Center will unveil the space shuttle Endeavour mounted in a full launch-pad configuration inside the newly constructed Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. This marks the first time a space shuttle has been displayed vertically, poised for liftoff, outside of a NASA facility.
“It has been more than 30 years since we first dreamed of putting a shuttle in the launch position in our air and space center, and it is better than we ever thought it was going to be,” said Jeffrey Rudolph, president and CEO of the science center, in an interview with collectSPACE.com. “I haven’t had anybody walk in there yet who is disappointed, and more than that, who isn’t excited and in awe.”
“It is an incredible exhibit and incredible sight,” he added.
The journey to this moment has been a monumental engineering feat. It took four years to construct the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, and the centerpiece required a feat many considered impossible: stacking the orbiter Endeavour with its external tank and twin solid rocket boosters without using a NASA facility built for that exact purpose. The result is a towering, 20-story-tall display that will stand as a permanent tribute to human ingenuity and exploration.
(Source: Ars Technica)