posted 07-07-2012 08:59 PM               

Viewing space shuttle Endeavour's final ferry flight and museum delivery

This topic is intended for members' comments and viewing reports about space shuttle Endeavour's delivery to the California Science Center (CSC).

Endeavour will depart Kennedy Space Center, Fla. in mid-September (schedules currently suggest sometime between Sept. 17 and Sept. 20). Ferried atop a Boeing 747 shuttle carrier aircraft, Endeavour will be flown to Los Angeles International Airport. The trip is expected to take two days, weather permitting.

Once on the ground, the CSC plans to move Endeavour atop a NASA overland transporter through Los Angeles and Inglewood. The date for this "mother of all parades" is still to be announced.

posted 07-07-2012 09:03 PM               

Rather than schedule the Cocoa Beach Air Show during its usual time slot in late October, he moved the event to mid-September in hopes the timing would coincide with the transfer of shuttle Endeavour from Kennedy Space Center to a Los Angeles museum.

But it didn't — he missed by at least two days — and now Lilley is pulling every string he can to convince NASA to delay Endeavour's departure so that the orbiter and its 747 can take a star turn at his two-day air show, which starts Sept. 22.

"People will come from all over the country to see something like this," said Lilley, president of the air show.

So far, Lilley has recruited the help of Florida's two U.S. senators, Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, as well as U.S. Reps. Bill Posey of Rockledge and Sandy Adams of Orlando. The four lawmakers earlier this year asked NASA chief Charlie Bolden to change the Endeavour departure date to accommodate the air show, as well as to honor KSC.

"The event would not only provide a larger audience for the flight, it would give the dedicated Space Shuttle workforce a final chance to bid farewell alongside their Space Coast friends and family," the four Florida legislators wrote Bolden.

So far, though, NASA has said no.

"In order to maintain delivery schedules and minimize cost, logistical complexity, and liability, NASA does not plan to have the Orbiter … take part in the air show, though the Agency appreciates the invitation and interest," the agency wrote.

posted 07-14-2012 07:10 AM               

Point being, it's usually a two-day flight from California back to Florida. Desiring a morning arrival in LA, it would probably be 3. There would be a stop in the mid-west somewhere, another probably at Edwards and then the morning flight to LA.

posted 07-14-2012 10:22 PM               

The layover locations will likely depend on the weather on the route. Tinker I would say is a very good possibility, but it could be anything. Even where I live would be a possibility, although there would have to be monsoon rain and thunderstorms over Texas and Oklahoma for that to happen (last time it did was Atlantis from STS-117 heading the other way and it stopped for the night at Offutt AFB). But of course, September is still smack dab in the middle of hurricane season and even if Texas doesn't get a tropical storm strike, one in Mexico (on the gulf or Pacific coasts) could send moisture northward into Texas.

My spidey sense says they might keep the ferry flight to the south and possibly schedule a pass over Ellington and JSC for a photo opportunity (if the weather allows it). So that would likely mean a stopover somewhere east of Houston and my guess is the night layover would be Amarillo or El Paso (or perhaps even San Antonio, although I suspect a further west location to give the 747 more loiter time over Los Angeles). Of course they have done landing visits to Ellington with the shuttle before, but they have been rare.

posted 07-15-2012 10:08 PM               

JSC director Mike Coats said in an interview the day before STS-135 launched that if he had anything to say about it, Endeavour would visit Houston.

Of course, it's been a year since then and plans can change. We'll all know soon enough.

posted 08-08-2012 03:38 PM               

California Science Center reveals road trip for NASA's space shuttle Endeavour

Space shuttle Endeavour's final flight plan — and road trip map — were revealed on Wednesday (Aug. 8), previewing the cross-country, and cross-county, routes the retired NASA orbiter will follow before landing at the California Science Center for display.

Endeavour, the youngest of NASA's shuttles having been built after the 1986 space shuttle Challenger tragedy, flew 25 space missions between 1992 and 2011. Next month, it will embark on "Mission 26," which will (tentatively) span 26 days to travel from Florida to the Los Angeles museum.

"We are calling it 'The Big Endeavour,'" Jeffrey Rudolph, the president of the California Science Center (CSC), told collectSPACE. "It is pretty exciting and yet a challenging task. We've a lot of things to do to make sure everything works, but we're ready to go."

posted 08-24-2012 10:01 AM               

Bid Farewell to Space Shuttle Endeavour

Join us September 17, 2012, as space shuttle Endeavour departs Kennedy Space Center for the last time.

In celebration of the fly-out, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is hosting four days of activities. Guests have the opportunity to view Endeavour as it is placed atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft during a special tour and to see the astronaut crew from Endeavour's final mission STS-134. A limited number of guests even have the opportunity to witness the departure of Endeavour from the Shuttle Landing Facility.

Special Endeavour Tour

$20 per adult/$15 per child (ages 3-11), plus tax*

Offered for September 14 and 15 only, a special windshield tour is available to guests. The tour will drive by Launch Pad 39-A and the Mate/Demate Device, allowing guests to view space shuttle Endeavour as it is secured to the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The tour will end at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. *In addition to general admission.

Endeavour Fly-Out Tickets

$40 per guest, plus tax*

A limited number of tickets are available for the opportunity to witness the departure of Endeavour from the actual Shuttle Landing Facility. Guests who purchase the transportation tickets are bused from the Visitor Complex. *In addition to general admission.

Godspeed Endeavour!

On September 17, 2012, space shuttle Endeavour will depart out of Kennedy Space Center for the last time at approximately 7:30 a.m. EST. The orbiter will be placed on top of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747, and flown to its new destination at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

The Visitor Complex will open at 5:00 a.m. EST on Monday, September 17. Those who have transportation tickets to the Shuttle Landing Facility will begin boarding the buses at 6:00 a.m. EST. Limited operations will be open to the public prior to the fly-out.

Viewing will also be available from the Visitor Complex. Guests will have a great photo opportunity of the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and Endeavour as they fly over the Rocket Garden. There will be a jumbotron screen set up and food service will be available.

posted 08-24-2012 02:41 PM               

NASA jets, ticket sales taking off for space shuttle Endeavour's flight to L.A.

NASA is deploying a few high-flying paparazzi to Hollywood to scout out the best photo spots for next month's arrival of one of its biggest stars: space shuttle Endeavour.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, tickets have just gone on sale for the public to stake out their own photo ops to see Endeavour as it departs its Florida spaceport for the final time. Endeavour, which flew 25 times to space, is being ferried to Los Angeles for display at the California Science Center.

posted 08-26-2012 07:39 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by h00ktern:
Ticket prices on the Fly-Out went up

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posted 08-28-2012 08:29 AM               

NASA Hosts Social Media Event to Welcome Endeavour to California

To welcome space shuttle Endeavour to Southern California, NASA is inviting 40 of its social media followers to a NASA Social Sept. 19-20 at the agency's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base. Parts of the social will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

Endeavour is expected to land at Dryden on Sept. 19 and depart Sept. 20 for Los Angeles International Airport, where it will remain in a hangar until its transfer in October to a permanent home at the California Science Center.

During the two-day event, people who engage with NASA through Twitter, Facebook and Google+ will have a rare opportunity to see the landing and departure of Endeavour as it rides piggyback on NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. Participants also will speak with experts, tour shuttle support vehicles and other NASA aircraft, and interact with fellow NASA social media followers, space enthusiasts and members of NASA's social media team.

The NASA Social registration opens at noon EDT, Tuesday, Aug. 28, and closes at noon EDT, Thursday, Aug. 30. Forty participants will be selected randomly from online registrations. Because of space limitations, those selected to attend may not bring a guest. Each participant must be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older.

posted 09-07-2012 11:19 AM               

NASA's space shuttle Endeavour to depart on cross-country flight for display

NASA's space shuttle Endeavour will embark this month on a three-day journey by air that will take it from coast to coast on a mission to become a museum display.

NASA on Friday (Sept. 7) revealed Endeavour's final flight plan, announcing the route that its jumbo jet will follow as it carries the shuttle piggyback from Florida to California.

posted 09-08-2012 04:32 PM               

I actually live directly under one of the routes into CA, but here in Kingman I don't know if I am going to be under the path as they fly west.

posted 09-08-2012 05:19 PM               

Then there is the route just south of us around Lake Havasue.

posted 09-11-2012 04:34 PM               

NASA jumbo jet lands in Florida for final space shuttle ferry flight

A NASA jumbo jet used to ferry space shuttles around the country has arrived in Florida, where for the last time it'll be paired with one of the winged spacecraft for a transcontinental trip.

On Tuesday (Sept. 11), the modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) landed at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral after flying in from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in southern California. The jetliner will be used to carry space shuttle Endeavour to Los Angeles for its display at the California Science Center (CSC).

The SCA touched down at 5:05 p.m. EDT (2105 GMT) at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility, on the same runway where Endeavour returned from space after its 25th and final spaceflight on June 1, 2011. Next Monday (Sept. 17), the orbiter, mounted atop the SCA, will take off from the 15,000 foot (4,572 meter) concrete strip on a three-day trip to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

posted 09-12-2012 11:21 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by David C:
Any opinions on whether it would be better to view the last take-off out of EDW or the last landing at LAX? At least at LAX the runway is pretty predictable. Not very familiar with EDW runway use in light winds.

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posted 09-16-2012 01:58 PM               

Space shuttle Endeavour's final ferry flight to California delayed by weather

Space shuttle Endeavour's trip to California has been delayed by a weather front in its way.

NASA on Sunday (Sep. 16) postponed Endeavour's final liftoff from Florida, planned for Monday morning, just a few hours after rolling out the shuttle atop its modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) to be ready for the flight. Endeavour is being flown to Los Angeles, where it is going on display at the California Science Center (CSC).

"To ensure a safe flight for Endeavour and the [Shuttle Carrier Aircraft], NASA managers, in consultation with the California Science Center decided Sunday to delay the flight because of inclement weather predicted along the flight path between Houston and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where the flight will originate," NASA explained in a statement.

posted 09-17-2012 06:36 AM               

The Texas Gulf Coast region flyover, in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration, is scheduled to occur between approximately 9 and 10:30 a.m. CDT.

Landing at Ellington is scheduled for approximately 10:45 a.m.

posted 09-17-2012 01:43 PM               

Shuttle Endeavour set for final ferry flight to Calif., if weather allows

Space shuttle Endeavour is riding high and ready to go, if only the weather would cooperate.

On Sunday (Sept. 16), NASA rolled out the retired orbiter, secured atop the space agency's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), from the gantry-like Mate-Demate Device (MDD) that two days before had paired the spacecraft with the jumbo jet.

Now parked on the tarmac at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida, the SCA is targeted to take off with Endeavour on Wednesday (Sept. 18) at about 7:15 a.m. EDT (1115 GMT), two days later than NASA originally planned. The duo will fly west on a three-day ferry flight to Los Angeles, where the shuttle is destined for permanent display at the California Science Center (CSC).

posted 09-17-2012 06:21 PM               

Endeavour's Los Angeles landing delayed to Friday

Space shuttle Endeavour's highly anticipated arrival in Los Angeles has been deferred by a day.

The retired spacecraft, which will be ferried on top NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a modified Boeing 747 jet, was originally targeted to land at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Thursday (Sept. 20). Destined for display at the California Science Center (CSC), Endeavour, riding piggyback atop the SCA, is now scheduled to touch down on Friday at about 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT; 1800 GMT).

"The decision to reschedule the flight was made Monday in coordination with the science center to ensure a safe flight for Endeavour and the SCA," NASA announced in a statement.

posted 09-18-2012 12:50 PM               

In cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration, the SCA is scheduled to conduct low-level flyovers at about 1,500 feet above locations along the planned flight path.

posted 09-18-2012 06:09 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by OV-105:
They will use 22/15 at EDW.

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posted 09-19-2012 02:35 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by OV-105:
I think they might do a pass over Lancaster/Palmdale when they land or take off.

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Please note that low-level flyovers of the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster and the towns of Rosamond and Mojave are also scheduled early Friday morning after a planned 7:15 a.m. departure from Edwards, prior to the SCA-Endeavour combo heading north toward Sacramento.

posted 09-19-2012 02:39 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by David C:
I think I'll stick with LAX.

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Space Shuttle Endeavour Landing at LAX

On September 21, 2012, weather permitting; the Space Shuttle Endeavour will land at LAX on the back of a modified 747 shuttle carrier aircraft. The Shuttle is scheduled to touch down between 11:30 AM and 12:30PM.

In preparation for this historic event, the El Segundo Police Department has pre-designated the 300 to 600 blocks of E. Imperial Avenue as public viewing space to watch Endeavour aboard the 747 shuttle carrier craft land on the south runway at LAX. Click here to view a map of this location, which includes road closures and designated public parking.

Parking is extremely limited, so if you plan on visiting El Segundo to view the landing, please arrive early and plan accordingly.

Other designated areas for public viewing include the 700 block of W. Imperial Avenue and the greenbelt located at Imperial Avenue and California Street.

• Boeing plant in Seal Beach
  
• California Science Center
  
• Disneyland
  
• Getty Museum
  
• Griffith Observatory
  
• Huntington Beach
  
• JPL
  
• LA City Hall
  
• Queen Mary
  
• Santa Monica Pier
  
• Space X in Hawthorne
  
• Universal Studios

posted 09-19-2012 07:27 AM               

Shuttle Endeavour departs Florida on final ferry flight

For the last time in history, a space shuttle soared into the skies over Florida on Wednesday (Sept. 19). Rather than riding on rockets and heading into orbit however, the space shuttle Endeavour was mounted atop a jumbo jet and is destined for a California museum's display.

The retired orbiter, mated to the space agency's modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) took off from the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, which was the same runway where Endeavour made its 25th and final return from space in June 2011. The 7:22 a.m. EDT (1122 GMT) liftoff marked the start of the final ferry flight for the 30-year space shuttle program era.