Los Angeles space fans have a milestone moment to look forward to: the California Science Center has announced an opening date for the public to view Space Shuttle Endeavour displayed in its dramatic launch-ready, vertical position.
The announcement marks the culmination of years of careful planning and engineering work to stand the retired orbiter upright — the same awe-inspiring posture it held on the launch pad before each of its 25 missions into space. Once complete, the display will be one of the most striking museum exhibits in the country, giving visitors a true sense of the shuttle’s towering scale.
NBC Los Angeles offered a first look at the shuttle in its new orientation, generating excitement across the region ahead of the official opening. The California Science Center, located in Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles, has long been home to Endeavour since the orbiter’s retirement from NASA service, and the vertical exhibit represents the centerpiece of the museum’s long-planned Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
For Angelenos and visitors alike, the chance to stand at the base of a vertically positioned space shuttle promises to be an unforgettable, inspiring experience — a living tribute to human ingenuity and the spirit of exploration that has defined the space program for generations.
Sources: Los Angeles Times, NBC Los Angeles
