Los Angeles – On Friday, Senator Mark Kelly, the former astronaut who commanded the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final mission, stood beside the iconic orbiter as the California Science Center unveiled its new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. The expanded 200,000‑square‑foot facility, located in Exposition Park, now houses the only complete, authentic space‑shuttle system on public view anywhere in the world.
Endeavour’s historic homecoming
Endeavour, displayed in its nearly 200‑foot‑tall launch configuration, serves as the centerpiece of the new gallery. The shuttle arrived in Los Angeles in September 2012, towed through city streets by a 2012 Toyota Tundra after landing at LAX. Kelly recalled the night the massive spacecraft was maneuvered across the grass outside Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, noting the surreal experience of watching a piece of history being brought to the city.
“This is my favorite spaceship. It’s also the best spaceship,” Kelly said during the opening ceremony. “I got lucky being the last commander of Endeavour, and having it here at the California Science Center is very fortunate for me, the crewmembers, and everyone who worked on this vehicle.”
What visitors can expect
The new gallery features a 140‑foot elevator ride up the launch stack to a glass‑floor observation platform above the orbiter, a shuttle‑landing simulator, a replica flight deck, and a 45‑foot slide that mimics the shuttle’s return through Earth’s atmosphere. In total, the center now displays more than 100 aerospace artifacts, including the Mercury‑Redstone 2 capsule, Gemini 11 capsule, and the Apollo‑Soyuz Command Module.
Three multilevel galleries round out the expansion: the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery. The aviation gallery showcases a Korean Air Boeing 747‑400 and offers a five‑minute simulated flight from Los Angeles to Seoul. The space gallery highlights robotic exploration with models from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, allowing visitors to program a miniature Mars rover.Kelly, who has served as Arizona’s U.S. Senator since 2020 and is married to former Representative Gabby Giffords, will join about 30 astronauts—including all six crew members from Endeavour’s final mission, STS‑134—for the grand opening. He emphasized the shuttle’s role in uniting the nation.
“When you look at the Earth from space, you realize we’re all in this together,” Kelly reflected. “We don’t have any other place to go.” His remarks underscored the shuttle’s legacy of scientific achievement and American ingenuity.
Why the expansion matters
The new galleries nearly double the Science Center’s exhibit space, providing families, students, and space enthusiasts with hands‑on learning opportunities. By preserving Endeavour and related artifacts, the center reinforces Los Angeles’ status as a hub for aerospace education and inspires the next generation of engineers and explorers.
Admission to the expanded center is free for California residents, with special family‑friendly programming scheduled throughout the holiday season. The Science Center invites the community to explore the exhibits and experience the wonder of human spaceflight.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
