CA, US & World
California Science Center Unveils Vertical Space Shuttle Endeavour Display
LOS ANGELES — The California Science Center has offered an exclusive first look inside its massive architectural expansion, revealing the Space Shuttle Endeavour displayed in its fully upright, vertical launch configuration. Standing a towering 20 stories tall, the breathtaking exhibit serves as the centerpiece of the brand-new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. The realization of the gigantic complex marks the completion of a grand civic and educational vision that has been more than three decades in the making.
To build anticipation for future visitors, the exhibit experience begins in a specialized theatrical environment that takes guests on a retrospective journey through the history of modern aerospace engineering. As a localized smoke effect clears, visitors are brought face-to-face with the towering orbiter, flanked by its authentic solid rocket boosters and massive orange external fuel tank. Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rudolph noted that during actual NASA operations, the closest vantage point for spectators was a full three miles away due to the immense physical force of launch. The new self-supporting facility, which relies on an innovative architectural design completely devoid of interior columns or shear walls, gives civilians an unobstructed, close-up perspective never before possible.
Getting the historical artifact into its permanent vertical position proved to be an engineering marvel in its own right. Dr. Ken Phillips, who authored the original proposal that successfully convinced NASA to award the retired shuttle to Los Angeles, recalled that critics initially deemed the project impossible. Over 1.5 million people originally flooded the streets of Los Angeles to watch the shuttle snake through urban corridors toward its temporary home. Uprighting the system required a highly synchronized team of engineers to meticulously lift each massive component using heavy-duty cranes, securing the boosters and fuel tank before locking Endeavour into place while the state-of-the-art building was actively constructed around the multi-ton stack. This marks the only time a full, authentic launch configuration has been completed outside of an official NASA military or launch facility.
The towering display provides an educational walk-and-talk experience that allows guests to stand directly underneath the main engines and peer into the payload bay where crews managed cargo across 25 successful orbital missions, including the transportation of critical components for the International Space Station. Former NASA astronaut and current University of Southern California professor Garrett Reisman, who hitched his very first ride into space aboard Endeavour, stated that the completed display looks identical to the launch pads of his memory. Reisman pointed out that much of the foundational engineering utilized to construct the space shuttle fleet is actively being deployed to support current Artemis lunar missions, making the display a vital bridge to today's ongoing space race. Lead donor Lynda Oschin expressed her hope that the pavilion, named in honor of her late husband Sam, will inspire future generations of children to never give up on their creative and scientific dreams.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
June 24, 2026
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