The NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour has been through quite a journey! It had a 20-year-long career in space and just a couple of weeks ago (September 21, 2012 to be exact), it landed in Los Angeles after a cross-country retirement tour. Now, the Endeavour is preparing for the last leg of its journey to its new home at the California Science Center — a 12-mile long journey through the busy streets of Los Angeles, California.
You might be asking yourself, “How can a space shuttle travel through the streets of Los Angeles?” A team composed of the California Science Center, the cities of Los Angeles and Inglewood, and logistical and engineering experts came together to decide the best route that the Endeavour could take from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to its final destination at the California Science Center.
This team developed a state-of-the-art way to help the Endeavour maneuver the streets, trees, lights, and utility poles through the city called the Endeavour Transportation System. The aim of this system is to move the Endeavour to the California Science Center in one piece.
According to the Science Center, removing the wings or the tail of the shuttle would severely damage the protective tiles that are all over it, and there is no safe way of reattaching pieces to the shuttle if they were disassembled. Although it would be much easier to break the shuttle apart for transportation because it is 78 feet wide (from one wing tip to the other) and 58 feet tall, we would not want to lose any part of this special space shuttle!
As mentioned in the last post about the Endeavour, this shuttle is making history because it will be the “first, land and only time a space shuttle will travel through urban, public city streets” (California Science Center). The Endeavour will begin preparations for its 12-mile-long trek through Los Angeles on Friday, October 12, and then begin its journey on the morning of Saturday, October 13 to end up at the California Science Center that same evening.
The Space Shuttle Endeavour’s journey is almost at an end. The move is happening this Saturday, so tell us what you think about the Endeavour, or even about something you love about space. After all, Math Blaster is a game that trains you not only in your math skills, but also equips you to join the Intergalactic Space Patrol to help defend the galaxy!
Filed under: Current Events, Just for Fun, Science Facts, Technology and Kids, Uncategorized, What's New Tagged: | California Science Center, Endeavour, Los Angeles, NASA, space, Space Shuttle
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