One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Space Shuttle Endeavour To Permanently Land At California Science Center
Space Shuttle Endeavour on Pad39A at Kennedy Space Center (Photo by jurvetson via Flickr)
With about a dozen facilities vying for the honor, NASA announced today that the California Science Center in Exposition Park has been chosen as the final landing place for space shuttle Endeavour which will be retired after its final mission later this month. The announcement Tuesday coincides with the 30th anniversary of the first space shuttle launch.
The shuttle will be ready for sendoff by mid-2012, reports NBC LA, and Endeavour will make its way to California on the back of a NASA-modified Boeing 747.
Given its forthcoming proximity to USC it seems prudent to remind Kappa Sigma, despite how awesome it would be, to please not have sex inside the space shuttle.
Endeavour, notes the Daily News, was "built in Palmdale to replace the destroyed Challenger shuttle" which exploded 73 seconds after launch in January 1986. Construction on the craft began in 1987 and was finished in 1991.
"When its final mission is completed, Endeavour will have traveled 115 million miles during 25 flights, carrying 139 people into orbit. It was the final shuttle built, but was the first to include safety improvements such as a drag parachute deployed on landing, and nose-wheel steering to prevent wear on the tires during runway rollout."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
