LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The California Science Center Wednesday provided the first public view of space shuttle Endeavour inside its permanent home -- in upright launch position with two rocket boosters and an external fuel tank -- and announced an opening date for the future air and space museum.
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will open to the public Nov. 13.
Officials said the exhibit will be the only place in the world where visitors can view a complete, authentic space shuttle system in launch position. The display features the flown orbiter Endeavour attached to a pair of real solid rocket boosters and ET-94, the last remaining flight-qualified external fuel tank.
The display "will invite guests to learn how the world's first reusable spacecraft advanced our ability to live and work in low-Earth orbit, while laying the groundwork for increasingly ambitious missions into space," Science Center President/CEO Jeffrey Rudolph told reporters during an unveiling event Wednesday.
"... The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is the fulfillment of a decades-long dream and will stand as an enduring source of inspiration for generations of scientists, engineers and explorers to come," he said.
The shuttle stack stands nearly 200 feet tall, allowing visitors to walk beneath the orbiter's main engines, view its open payload bay and ascend to elevated viewing platforms overlooking the spacecraft, according to officials.
Construction of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center was completed in April, nearly four years after groundbreaking on the project in June 2022. The 200,000-square-foot addition nearly doubles the Science Center's exhibit space and will house more than 100 aerospace artifacts and hands-on exhibits focused on aviation and space exploration, officials said.
In addition to the shuttle gallery, the facility will include the Korean Air Aviation Gallery and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
Lynda Oschin, chairperson of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, said the announcement marked a major milestone in realizing the vision for the center. She said she remembered being at the center in September 2011 and seeing the excitement of fifth-graders taking part in the Science Center School when former Endeavour crew members walked in the room.
"The children reacted with such enthusiasm to the astronauts, asking so many questions," she said Wednesday. "Of course, they wanted to know what they ate and how they go to the bathroom. But after that, they asked a lot of questions that were incredible for 10-year-olds. So I realized the potential to inspire these kids to encourage lifelong learning and open new worlds of possibilities to these children."
During Wednesday's unveiling, Oschin held up a photo of her late husband, Samuel Oschin, and said the new Endeavour display honors "the tremendous legacy and the memory of my husband," whom she called "a gentleman, and a gentle man."
"Space shuttle Endeavour exemplified so many of the passions of my husband, especially astronomy, exploration, and the children," she said. "... With Endeavour as a star, the Air and Space Center will be an unparalleled educational resource that is accessible to everyone."
Endeavour was lifted into its permanent vertical configuration in 2024 following a six-month assembly process known as "Go for Stack." The orbiter, which flew 25 NASA missions between 1992 and 2011, has been on public display at the Science Center since arriving in Los Angeles in 2012.
Although the shuttle stack is now complete, the California Science Center still has several months of exhibit and artifact installation work ahead before the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens in November.
When it debuts, the center's shuttle gallery will feature interactive attractions including a 140-foot gantry-style elevator ride alongside the shuttle stack, a 115-foot slide simulating a shuttle's return through the atmosphere, and a replica flight deck where visitors can operate controls similar to those used by shuttle astronauts.
Rudolph said fundraising efforts for the ambitious project are also still continuing, with the center having raised $410 million so far, nearing its goal of $450 million.
Rudolph noted that due to anticipated high demand when the center opens, entry to the museum will be done with timed-entry tickets -- although admission will be free. Details on how to obtain tickets will be released in the coming months, but Rudolph encouraged people to visit the Science Center's website and sign up for an e-newsletter to receive updates, and to follow the center's social media channels.
Gov. Gavin Newsom hailed news of the center's planned November opening.
"California has always been a place of discovery -- from the early pioneers of flight to the engineers, astronauts, scientists, and innovators who helped shape the space age and who are powering the next era of exploration today," Newsom said in a statement. "The new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center reflects our state's enduring commitment to science, education, and innovation, and it will inspire curiosity and learning for generations to come. On behalf of the people of California, I thank everyone who worked so hard to make this world-class Air and Space Center a reality, including the philanthropic partners whose support helped bring this extraordinary vision to completion."