They were among the stars. Now they’re right by campus.
People waited outside the California Science Center in Exposition Park on Wednesday morning to witness the arrival of two solid rocket boosters that were used on the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
The rockets, donated by Northrop Grumman, made a nearly 100-mile trek from the Mojave Air and Space Port to their final resting place at the museum. They will be added to the Endeavour space shuttle exhibit.
The addition of the 116-feet long rockets to the museum’s exhibit comes 11 years after the Endeavour performed its final flight over Los Angeles in September 2012.
“It is a part of Los Angeles history. The fact that [the space shuttle] is going to soon be fully on display, it’s amazing.” said Branimir Kvartuc, who came to the Science Center to witness the arrival of the rockets.
Volunteers at the California Science Center said they were also excited to see the complete Endeavour, citing the historical significance of the craft.
“I think for any of us of a certain age, we grew up watching the shuttles go up, and it just became a kind of internal part of us,” said Science Center tour guide Tom Reinsel. “When I give tours to these people I emphasize it’s your shuttle now, not NASA’s or the government’s, but your shuttle to witness.”
According to their website, the California Science Center is planning to display Endeavour, which is currently being displayed horizontally, in lift-off position in the near future with the addition of the rockets and a 65,000-pound external fuel tank. To accommodate for the shuttle’s vertical height, the center is constructing the 20-story Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center to house the shuttle.
The rocket motors will be on display for the next few weeks, until they are moved to the under-construction Space Center. The Endeavour can be seen on display until New Year’s Eve, before being placed in storage until the new Space Center is completed, estimated for 2025.