{"id":726083,"date":"2026-06-25T23:35:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T23:35:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/726083\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T23:35:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T23:35:13","slug":"450m-space-shuttle-endeavour-center-opens-in-los-angeles-in-november","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/726083\/","title":{"rendered":"$450M Space Shuttle Endeavour center opens in Los Angeles in November"},"content":{"rendered":"

The long-awaited $450 million Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at the California Science Center will officially open its doors on Nov. 13, giving visitors a chance to get up close to \u2014 and make first contact with \u2014 one of NASA\u2019s most iconic spacecrafts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The massive 200,000-square-foot expansion will become the permanent home of the retired Space Shuttle Endeavour<\/a>, exhibited in its upright \u201cready to launch\u201d position. <\/p>\n

Unlike typical museum setups where historic artifacts operate on a strict \u201clook but don\u2019t touch\u201d basis, the new buildout is designed to bring visitors closer to cosmic history than ever before. Split into three galleries spanning four floors \u2014 air, space, and shuttle \u2014 the center will allow guests to marvel at authentic space artifacts and get unprecedented, multi-angle views of the legendary spacecraft. <\/p>\n

The California Science Centre presents the first look at the permanent home of Space Shuttle Endeavour inside the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery. REUTERS<\/p>\n

An aerial view of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, on the left, which is a major expansion of the California Science Center. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Known as the baby shuttle, Endeavour replaced Challenger, which exploded during liftoff in 1986. Getty Images<\/p>\n

Endeavour spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles,\u00a0completing 25 missions to space between 1992 and 2011. ZUMAPRESS.com<\/p>\n

Endeavour flew into LAX in Sept of 2012. ZUMAPRESS.com<\/p>\n

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Designers say one of the most uniquely notable aspects of the new exhibit is just how close visitors can get to the orbiter. \u201cI don\u2019t think any of the other space shuttles that are on display, can you actually walk up and touch part of them,\u201d\u00a0Jack Pascarosa, AIA, partner and director of exhibition design and management at Evidence Design, told Secret Los Angeles<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cI think that\u2019s incredibly special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once complete, people will be able to see Endeavour exactly as it appeared on the launch pad before liftoff: in its 20-story vertical launch position, mounted with its rocket boosters and bright orange ET-94, the last remaining external fuel tank. <\/p>\n

Known as the baby shuttle, Endeavour replaced Challenger, which exploded during liftoff in 1986. Endeavour spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles,\u00a0completing 25 missions to space between 1992 and 2011. The shuttle landed at LAX in 2012 and embarked on an unforgettable 12-mile journey through the city streets to its new home at the California Science Center in Exposition Park. <\/p>\n

We’re excited to announce that the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens November 13, 2026! \ud83d\ude80 <\/p>\n

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will showcase Endeavour in the world’s only complete, authentic space shuttle system, displayed 20 stories tall in launch position. pic.twitter.com\/id5RxqjfPJ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CA Science Center (@casciencecenter) June 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The shuttle arrived to LA on a 747 jumbo jet and was put on a special flatbed trailer for a weeks long road trip to its final destination.<\/p>\n

The new center will also have 100 aerospace artifacts and 100 interactive exhibits. \u201cAll of the other exhibits kind of wrap around this one, but this is kind of the culmination because it represents that kind of pinnacle of achievement that all these other efforts were leading to over a long period of time,\u201d\u00a0Pascarosa said.<\/p>\n

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