Space Shuttle Endeavor final flight over Los Angeles metro area
- Thread starter MikeD
- Start date
CoffeeIcePapers
Well-Hung Member
Alanna
Well-Known Member
Oh dear, watching that was way more of an emotional experience than I thought it would be. 
It's hard to watch my favorite orbiter's final taste of flight before being entombed in a museum forever...
Here are some recent pics of Endeavour in the CA Science Center from my pilgrimage a couple weeks ago.
It's hard to watch my favorite orbiter's final taste of flight before being entombed in a museum forever...Here are some recent pics of Endeavour in the CA Science Center from my pilgrimage a couple weeks ago.
KSCessnaDriver
Well-Known Member
Why? Having a vehicle that was actually flown in space is better than having one that was used for glide tests
Should've kept both there. Enterprise set the stage.
AAPalmTree
Well-Known Member
Area 5150
Model citizen, Zero discipline
Yeah, the Enterprise will rot away in that makeshift hanger on the Intrepid, and be subjected to every severe storm that rolls thru NYC. Sorry, NYC doesn't deserve it. Could have a least gone to Houston.
A Life Aloft
Well-Known Member
Here is a time lapse of her two day, 12 mile journey along the streets of L.A. to the museum:
It was damn exciting to witness her fly by, landing and urban journey to her final home.
It was damn exciting to witness her fly by, landing and urban journey to her final home.
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CirrusMonkey
No Real Usefulness
I think that the vehicles and structures built to support the shuttle program are just as cool.
Agreed. NYC doesn't deserve to have it, and Enterprise doesn't deserve that fate. The coolest videos were those of the 747s releasing the Enterprise inflight in the late 1970s during the Enterprise glide/landing tests.
Though based at Edwards/Dryden, 747 SCA aircraft were heavy-maintained here at KMZJ, where a specialized NASA maintenance crew kept them at a secured part of the main ramp, and 905 I believe was based here. Some interesting parts of the planes were the first class section near the spiral staircase, and the "instructions" printed on the external shuttle mount points. Also the number of lifts done per orbiter noted on the scoreboard on the fuselage side, as well as the Enterprise release flights.
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PositionAndHold
Well-Known Member
One of the coolest things I ever saw as a kid, was a close up view of the 747 SCA with the shuttle onboard fly the down wind at SZP about 1000'agl on its way east. It had to be in the early '80's, I'm thinking '83-’84. I was eight or nine. I need to talk to some of the old guys and get the full story again. There's reference to it in this article that Buzz Aldrin set it up. Either way, it was cool as hell for a kid that age.
http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-t...nta-paula-6578919/?c=y&story=fullstory&page=4
http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-t...nta-paula-6578919/?c=y&story=fullstory&page=4
Area 5150
Model citizen, Zero discipline
Was fortunate enough to see several of the shuttles up close and personal when they would overnight here at KBAD from Edwards. Last one I got to see was Columbia. It's nice to know ppl in the U.S. Air Force. 
Great accomplishment in space travel and regardless of the 2 losses and those brave crews, NASA and their engineers/designers, and all those in between, should be proud of that program. Truly remarkable!!!!
Great accomplishment in space travel and regardless of the 2 losses and those brave crews, NASA and their engineers/designers, and all those in between, should be proud of that program. Truly remarkable!!!!
ComplexHiAv8r
Well-Known Member
Not sure how many 747 NASA has/had, but there was one parked on the backside of Ellington (EFD) about a year ago when I was down there.