Makenna Cramer
has been covering space shuttle Endeavour's journey at the California Science Center for nearly three years.
Published May 13, 2026 1:51 PM
Guests will be able to walk around the outside and inside of part of a Boeing 747-400, including the cockpit.
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Topline:
The California Science Center has installed the first of more than a dozen aircraft in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
Why now: As of this week, the front portion of a Boeing 747-400 towers over the ground floor of the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, one of three main spaces in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
Why it matters: Once open to the public, the center will be the only place in the world to see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what officials called the months-long process of moving each component into place, according to the museum.
The backstory: The new center, which recently completed construction, is built around a towering centerpiece: space shuttle Endeavour in its 20-story vertical launch position.
What's next: Jeffrey Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said museum officials are working to announce an opening date for the center within the next several weeks.
The California Science Center has installed the first of more than a dozen aircraft in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition Park.
As of this week, the front portion of a Boeing 747-400 towers over the ground floor of the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, one of three main spaces in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
The new center, which recently completed construction, is built around a towering centerpiece: space shuttle Endeavour in its 20-story vertical launch position.
Once open to the public, the center will be the only place in the world to see an authentic space shuttle in its “Go for Stack” position, which is what officials called the months-long process of moving each component into place, according to the museum.
Walter Cho, chairman of Korean Air, said the airline’s namesake gallery is all about inspiring future generations to dream big.
“We want them to see more than airplanes, but the science, engineering and imagination behind them,” Cho said during a news conference Tuesday. “And most importantly, we want them to think, ‘I can do that, too.’”
Jeffrey Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, said museum officials are working to announce an opening date for the center within the next several weeks. He told LAist that people will be able to visit “well before” the 2028 Olympics.
Admission to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will be free.
The galleries will guide guests through hundreds of exhibits and authentic artifacts focused on the exploration of the universe — including rocket ships that carried humans into space and telescopes used to view stars and galaxies beyond our reach, according to museum officials.
The Korean Air Aviation Gallery has three themes — learning to fly, everyday flight and advanced aviation, according to the museum. It’s designed to explore the four forces that affect every aircraft: lift, thrust, weight and drag.
“That basically shapes the aircraft, tells you what it has to look like in order to accomplish whatever mission you have,” said Kenneth Phillips, the curator of aerospace programs.
The roughly 20 aircraft that’ll be displayed — some already suspended from the ceiling — were selected by the California Science Center for the engineering principles they can teach.
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Makenna Cramer
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The 747, at least the front 70 feet of it, was moved to L.A. last year. After taking thousands of flights under Korean Air for two decades, it was rescued from an “aircraft graveyard” in Arizona, Rudolph said.
Museum crews took the plane apart, reassembled it in the building and gave it a fresh paint job.
Officials said the 747 played a significant role in aviation, helping take the technology from daredevils testing the limits to a regular part of global travel. Visitors will be able to explore the inside of the aircraft and take a simulated five-minute flight from LAX to Seoul.
Walter Cho, chairman of Korean Air, celebrated the first aircraft installed in the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, including the front of a real Boeing 747-400 that was built for the airline in 1993.
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Makenna Cramer
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A rendering of the final vision for the Korean Air Aviation Gallery in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.
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Makenna Cramer
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The other roughly 20 aircraft that’ll be on display — some are already suspended from the ceiling — were selected for the engineering principles they demonstrate, according to Rudolph.
For example, the section on speed will feature a F-106A Delta Dart, the fastest turbo-jet powered airplane with a single-engine, according to officials. The museum is also working on displaying an F-100D Super Sabre, the world’s first supersonic fighter jet, and a Vampire T.35, the first British aircraft powered by a single jet engine.
This Northrop T-38 Talon was built around 1959 and joined NASA's fleet a few decades later. It was used for air force and astronaut training, according to the museum.
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Makenna Cramer
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A de Havilland Vampire T.35 was the first jet to land on and take off from an aircraft carrier, according to the California Science Center.
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Makenna Cramer
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The museum is also looking ahead to advanced aviation, including an indoor drone flight area.
Perry Roth-Johnson, curator of science and technology, told LAist he wants visitors to be able to explore the autonomous tech you can already see in L.A. today through self-driving cars like Waymo.
“We want to give people a little cityscape where they can fly drones on sample missions around the city and get a sense of how this technology works,” Roth-Johnson said in an interview.
When can we visit?
Officials are hoping to announce in the coming weeks an opening date — once the “intensive phase” of installing the historic artifacts and interactive exhibits is further along, according to the museum. The process was well underway by mid-April and was expected to continue for several more months.
The project has been financially supported by several names you may see in the center, including the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, Korean Air and the Kresa Family Foundation. The California Science Center is still looking to raise about $57 million more for the $450 million project before it opens.
You can learn more about the “EndeavourLA” fundraising campaign and how to sponsor one of the space shuttle's thermal tiles here.
What's outside?
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was completed last month, nearly four years after the California Science Center broke ground.
The expansion’s curved stainless-steel design stands out from the museum’s mostly copper-colored exterior.
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was completed last month, bringing the expansion closer to welcoming visitors.
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Makenna Cramer
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According to officials, it was inspired by the aerodynamic geometry of the space shuttle. Endeavour itself is hidden beneath a 2,000 ton diagrid structure, peaking at 200-feet-tall, that offers unobstructed views of the artifacts inside.
Steven F. Matt, chairman of MATT Construction — which built the expansion — said that construction was completed successfully without a scratch on the space shuttle.
“This project stands as a tribute to the generations who built our aerospace legacy and will continue to inspire children for decades to come,” Matt said in an April statement.
Amie Nulman, a structural engineer and principal with Arup, which engineered the building, told LAist previously that one of the challenges was making sure the design could withstand earthquakes without damaging the space shuttle. She said the shuttle’s support system is on base isolation, meaning it’s going to glide around when the ground starts to shake.
“The stack is going to be moving different to the building, and so we did a lot of studies to make sure they did not get too close to each other during earthquakes,” Nulman said in a 2024 interview.
Robert Garrova
explores the weird and secret bits of SoCal that would excite even the most jaded Angelenos. He also covers mental health.
Published June 3, 2026 5:27 PM
Mosquitoes being dropped into tubes to be tested for West Nile virus.
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Tim Boyle
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Officials in Orange County are reporting the first detection of West Nile virus in mosquitos this year.
Where? Mosquitos collected in the Newport Beach area have tested positive for West Nile, according to Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. The infected insects were collected in an area bordered by Campus Drive, Jamboree Road, State Route 73 and John Wayne Airport. according to the OCMVCD.
Any humans infected? There are no reported cases so far of West Nile in humansin Orange County.
What’s West Nile again? For humans, the CDC says the virus is commonly spread through the bite of the infected insects and can lead to severe illness affecting the central nervous system. Symptoms can include: fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.
What’s being done about it? Vector Control workers will continue inspections to try and tamp down on mosquito breeding.
What you can do: O.C. officials said dumping and draining standing water at least once a week is the best way to limit the pests in your community.
The OCMVCD also shared these tips:
Clean and scrub bird baths and pet water bowls.
Wear repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Close all unscreened doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home or space; repair broken or damaged screens.
Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants while outside at dawn and dusk.
David Wagner
covers housing in Southern California, a place where the lack of affordable housing contributes to homelessness.
Published June 3, 2026 3:54 PM
A Los Angeles City Council meeting April 2, 2025.
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Samanta Helou Hernandez
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The Los Angeles City Council moved Wednesday to postpone some of the biggest changes possible under a new state law putting more housing near transit stops. Instead, the council advanced plans for increased density in some targeted neighborhoods.
SB 79 is set to take effect July 1. That hotly debated state law allows apartment buildings between five and nine stories tall near train and rapid bus stops. But the law lets cities delay full implementation until 2030 by crafting local, phased-in approaches for creating more housing. On Wednesday, the council voted 13-0 in favor of a new “Low-Rise Ordinance,” allowing buildings up to four stories tall in 57 neighborhoods near transit stops.
L.A.’s proposed new ordinance aims to delay full implementation of SB 79 in areas deemed historically significant, at high risk of fires or economically “low resource.” Advocates for increased development say the way to get rising rents under control is to build more housing. But homeowner groups in areas the city considers “high resource” have argued denser housing doesn’t belong in the nearly three-quarters of residential land zoned for single-family homes.
Barbara Broide, a board member of the Westside Neighborhood Council, said in an earlier City Planning Commission meeting that the city’s plans to delay SB 79 by channeling growth into certain neighborhoods could have “unintended consequences.”
“The promise of having duplex, triplex and courtyard typologies of housing are being lost with this measure,” Broide said. “Instead we’re seeing four-story apartment buildings with no setbacks, no trees, no place for families, for children to play or tomatoes to be planted.”
Mahdi Manji, a policy director with the Inner City Law Center, said during Wednesday’s public comment period that he supported allowing mixed-income developments in neighborhoods that have historically resisted such housing. But he called for tweaks that would allow ground-level parking and greater density for projects that include more income-restricted units.
“This could be a unique opportunity to make some of these projects a little bit more feasible while adding a little bit of deeper affordability,” Manji said.
The plan still needs to come back to the full City Council for a final vote. Then it will head to the desk of Mayor Karen Bass. She had asked Gov. Gavin Newsom last year to veto SB 79, arguing the state shouldn’t tell L.A. how to plan for more housing.
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A bipartisan majority in the Republican-led House voted on Wednesday to end the war with Iran, the clearest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict and the subsequent economic fallout.
About the vote: The war powers resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
What it means: The vote is mostly symbolic. Democrats, despite multiple attempts, have been unable to pass a war powers resolution through the Republican-led Senate. Even if the measure passed in Congress, it would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump, whose administration has questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.
A bipartisan majority in the Republican-led House voted on Wednesday to end the war with Iran, the clearest rebuke yet of President Donald Trump's handling of the conflict and the subsequent economic fallout.
The war powers resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, with four Republicans joining Democrats in support.
The resolution had originally been set for a vote two weeks ago, but Republican leaders sent House members home early for a May recess when it appeared the largely Democratic-backed measure had enough Republican votes for passage. However, the extended break didn't shift GOP support to kill the measure.
Ahead of the vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended Trump's decision to attack Iran.
"Remember … Iran declared war on us 47 years ago. They chant 'death to America.' The president is trying to keep the people safe," Johnson told reporters.
The vote is mostly symbolic. Democrats, despite multiple attempts, have been unable to pass a war powers resolution through the Republican-led Senate. Even if the measure passed in Congress, it would almost certainly be vetoed by President Trump, whose administration has questioned the constitutionality of the War Powers Act.
Still, Senate Democrats have been inching closer. Last month, they won support on a procedural measure to set up a war powers vote after a handful of Republicans broke ranks to join them. A final vote has yet to be scheduled.
The administration has furiously pushed against the effort in both the House and Senate. Wednesday's vote signals his support for the war may be slipping even among some members of his own party.
Now more than 90 days into the conflict, some Republicans have expressed frustration that the war does not appear to have a clear end in sight. Talks to end the war have yet to gain clear traction, casting doubt on a fragile ceasefire. Just hours before the vote, Iran and the U.S. traded strikes in the Persian Gulf.
The conflict began on Feb 28 with strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran. Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the president has 60 days to end hostilities if there has been no congressional authorization – though he is able to seek a 30-day extension. The same law also gives Congress the ability to end hostilities by voting on a resolution to end military action, subject to presidential veto.
The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., warned ahead of the May recess when the vote was delayed that the plan was sure to pass.
"Let's be clear: Republicans pulled this vote because they knew they were going to lose it," Meeks said. "They know this war is a political and strategic disaster."
Copyright 2026 NPR
The latest data shows that EVs typically cost $3,159 per year to insure — nearly $1,000 more than gas-powered cars. It’s an added burden that could make the payback period on EVs significantly longer.
The cost breakdown: On average, the insurance gap between electric and internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles was 42%, according to a report released today by the insurance-comparison marketplace Insurify. But it varies drastically by state and model. The most expensive locale was Washington, D.C., where coverage cost $6,394 versus $4,124 for ICE cars. In California, coverage for electric cars costs $3,584 on average versus $2,969 for ICE cars.
Which car brands have the highest insurance? Generally speaking, luxury brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are particularly expensive to insure, with premiums on many models topping $4,000. Volvo, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai offer cars at the lower end of the spectrum. Insurify wouldn’t disclose which insurers had the most expensive rates, but did say Lemonade, Root, and GEICO offered the most affordable EV coverage. A primary reason for the disparity is that EVs cost more to fix.
Electric vehicles offer many opportunities to save money: on gas, on oil changes, on engine maintenance. But, it turns out, insurance isn’t one of them. In fact, the latest data shows that EVs typically cost $3,159 per year to insure — nearly $1,000 more than gas-powered cars. It’s an added burden that could make the payback period on EVs significantly longer.
On average, the insurance gap between electric and internal combustion engine, or ICE, vehicles was 42%, according to a report released by the insurance-comparison marketplace Insurify. But it varies drastically by state and model. The most expensive locale was Washington, D.C., where coverage cost $6,394 versus $4,124 for ICE cars. Maine was the cheapest at $1,476, just $184 more than a conventional car. The difference was most pronounced in Rhode Island, which has a 73% spread.
Generally speaking, luxury brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi are particularly expensive to insure, with premiums on many models topping $4,000. Volvo, Chevrolet, Ford, and Hyundai offer cars at the lower end of the spectrum. Insurify wouldn’t disclose which insurers had the most expensive rates, but did say Lemonade, Root, and GEICO offered the most affordable EV coverage.
“Insurers were charging those higher premiums to balance their risks,” said Julia Taliesin, an economic analyst and insurance agent at Insurify, who wrote the report. It is based on more than 235 million quotes in Insurify’s proprietary database. Seven states — Alaska, Hawai‘i, North Dakota, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming — are excluded due to lower quoting volume. But high insurance expenses means it can take more driving before an EV pays for itself through lower fuel and operating costs. Even if electricity were free and gas stays at $4 per gallon it translates to at least 5,800 more miles a year compared to a car that gets 25 mpg.
A primary reason for the disparity is that EVs cost more to fix.
“We do see that there is a delta in the cost of repair for electric vehicles compared to ICE,” said Ryan Mandell, a vice president of strategy and market intelligence at Mitchell, a company which provides data and software related to car repairs. He pegs the difference at about 15%, noting that batteries are relatively expensive to fix and for mechanics to work around and that EVs have complicated electronics. But there are more fundamental factors as well, like the lack of an engine.
Mandell gave the Ford F-150 as an example. From 2022 to 2025 an electric version of the pickup truck, called the Lightning, was available alongside gas-only and hybrid versions. When Mitchell subjected the gasoline and EV models to a front-end crash test the engine in the traditional model actually absorbed quite a bit of the impact. Because it doesn’t have that additional structure, Ford designed the Lightning with additional reinforcement that cost around 30% more to fix.
“The Lightning had more crash parts on the front of the vehicle,” said Mandell. He also noted that Ford requires removing the battery before doing any work, which increases labor costs. “It adds up.”
Repair costs, however, are not the only factor insurers consider. Insurify’s data showed insurance rates for the two trucks are roughly the same, which Taliesin said suggests driver demographics and behavior play a role, too. “One of the most significant is personal driving history and credit history,” she said. Given the Lightning’s much higher cost, the credit scores of owners could potentially be higher. And Insurify’s data shows that the ticket and accident rates for Lightning drivers are about half that of traditional F-150s.
“Factors like climate risk, vehicle theft rates, population density, insurance regulation, repair infrastructure, and EV adoption levels contribute to regional cost differences,” the Insurify report stated. In several states it cited climate-driven extreme weather, such as hurricanes and flooding, as drivers of high costs.
This EV insurance story isn’t unique to the United States. In 2024, BloombergNEF found about the same spread in the United Kingdom and Germany. France saw double the disparity. Overall, though, American EV owners still paid 87% more for insurance than Europeans.
“Several model-specific factors have driven the wider cost gaps in the large and SUV segments,” said Aleksandra O’Donovan, head of electrified transport at BloombergNEF, pointing to the Tesla Model Y as a particularly extreme example. “[The U.S. price] is nearly triple the insurance rate for the same vehicle in Germany.”
From 2023 to 2025, the EV insurance gap in the U.S. grew from 29% to 49%. But this year, it came down slightly, which Taliesin said is among a few good signs for EV drivers. Another is that the disparity among cars made in the last two years was only 18 percent — compared 42% across all years.
That drop is partly because auto insurance prices fell across the board in the last year. But Taliesin also said that ICE cars are catching up to EVs in terms of how complicated and expensive they are to fix. The cost of EV batteries is also trending downward, too. As EV sales have grown, there is more data for companies to base their prices on and more incentive for them to court EV owners.
”We’ve been seeing a ton of insurance-shopping behavior as insurers have been dropping their rates to compete for business,” said Taliesin, who is bullish for consumers. “That’s definitely a welcome reprieve.”
