California Science Center Held Ceremony for Endeavour Space Shuttle

On June 1, the California Science Center in Los Angeles held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

This 200,000-square-foot exhibit will be added to the Science Center, and it is expected to house the well-known space shuttle that took off 20 years ago, Endeavor.

Endeavor is one of three remaining space shuttle orbiters that were flown.

California Science Center's New Exhibit

The construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is expected to last three years. Once it is done, Endeavour will be placed in a shuttle gallery and in a vertical launch configuration, according to CBS News.

The Endeavour will be attached with rocket boosters and an external tank to give off a completely authentic look. The shuttle is five stories tall, has a wingspan of 78 feet, and weighs around 170,000 pounds.

Designed by ZGF, the new center will house 150 exhibits all in all, including the exhibit where Endeavour will be put in.

The state of California and the California Science Center Foundation raised $280 million to fund the project. The foundation aims to raise around $400 million total via the EndeavourLA campaign program, according to NBC News.

Jeffrey Rudolph, the CEO of the California Science Center, declared the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center a launching pad for creativity and innovation. He also wants the center to inspire the next generation.

Groundbreaking Ceremony

During the ceremony, US Senator Alex Padilla talked about California's contributions to science and space. He hoped that the exhibit would encourage and educate today's generation so that they "can lead the legacy."

The speaker at the ceremony included congresswoman Maxine Waters, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, Former NASA astronauts Barbara Morgan, Gregory Chamitoff, and Garrett Reisman.

US Senator Mark Kelly and Governor Gavin Newsom sent recorded messages that were played at the ceremony, according to PR Newswire.

The center, which is located in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, is also planning to include a Lucas Museum for Narrative Art, which is dedicated to American film director and creator of "Star Wars" George Lucas.

David Knight, who oversaw the production for the Science Center, said that they plan to include the filmed footage of Endeavour's historic move to California and its other milestones in the exhibit. This will be added for educational purposes.

When Endeavour was moved to California in 2011, it brought together more than 150 camera operators, including Oscar winner Haskell Wexler and Dan Kneece.

The journey of the shuttle began at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the shuttle mounted atop a Boeing 747. The flight successfully landed at LAX and was driven through the streets of LA down to the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

Millions of Californians tuned in to watch the historic move, and since arriving at the center, more than 18 million people have visited the shuttle's temporary exhibit. Now that it will have an exhibit of its own, the center expects more tourists to visit.

The Hollywood professionals involved in filming the move of Endeavour were also involved in other events related to the shuttle, such as the transportation of its tank in 2016.

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Written by Sophie Webster