Endeavour: Mission 26

In 1990, Space Shuttle Discovery would launch with a mission that would eventually ingrain itself into the minds of billions of onlookers across the planet, though they may not have known it at the time. STS-31, the mission designation, was to launch a telescope unlike any other that had ever gazed upon the stars. Its name was “Hubble,” and the images it was supposed to convey were going to be revolutionary in the public’s perception of the out limits of the known universe. However, all was not well, and the first images sent to NASA were blurry, even indecipherable, and not at all what was expected out of the project. Careful examination of the materials used for the telescope revealed that one of the mirrors had been ground incorrectly and was off by an almost imperceptible amount. “Imperceptible” was more than enough in the world of science and technology, though, and the damage had been done to a NASA program that was already under a great deal of scrutiny.

This scrutiny would be the origin of a tale that would run parallel to the Hubble errors for several years. In 1986, a disaster replayed across millions of television screens around the country. 73 seconds into liftoff for STS-51-L, Space Shuttle Challenger would disintegrate, killing all 7 crew members aboard. The tragedy was the first public image of human loss in the space program since the earliest Apollo missions, and NASA was dealt a monumental blow in the process. After visiting the moon, many saw the space shuttle program as a step backward in our journey to the stars, and the Challenger disaster cemented questions regarding the necessity of NASA into the general populace. Research was halted for nearly 3 years.

As NASA was grounded and began researching the cause for the disaster, a replacement for the Challenger was commissioned and began construction in the surrounding areas of Los Angeles. Comprised of a ceramic “blanket” and thousands of unique heat-shield tiles (no two are the same on the bottom of a shuttle), NASA insisted on building a new shuttle from spare parts rather than retrofitting the test shuttle Enterprise. The newest, and last, shuttle was completed and rolled out by Rockwell International in early 1991. The official designation for the spaceship was OV-105, but it was also given another title named after the ship of famed British explorer James Cook: Endeavour.

The baby of the space fleet would go through four launches before being given what was undoubtedly its most important, high-profile mission: to correct the broken mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope. In December 1993, Endeavour launched STS-61. In battling through the Hubble errors and the Challenger disaster, NASA’s replacement shuttle almost immediately began repairing not just telescopes, but also the public image of the program. The mission was deemed a success, and Hubble would go on to show us the reaches of space with a clarity and detail beyond our wildest dreams. Suddenly, nebulae and untold galaxies seemed to be right in our our backyard, with recognizable names and memorable images that would go into countless textbooks and posters. Two wrongs had made a right, and the intertwining journeys of the Hubble and Endeavour was the first of many steps towards rebuilding the country’s passion for spaceflight.

Galaxy photo before and after the Hubble repair

Over its 30-year history, the space shuttle program and NASA would go on to shoot towards new ground in orbital flight. Endeavour would fly on many high profile missions and represent the peak in human engineering. Rovers would be sent to Mars, and the international community would succeed in building a cooperative space station in orbit. While various incidents would happen back on Earth, NASA would continue to quietly break new ground in space with a fraction of the budget of other US programs.

After another disaster with the shuttle Columbia in 2003, public scrutiny towards NASA had returned. In response to put NASA back in a positive light, President George W. Bush announced his Vision For Space Exploration in 2004, leading to a retirement of the shuttles in order to focus once again on deep-space flight and a return to the Moon and even Mars. The shuttles, having lasted 15 years past their original program expectancy, would fly their last missions in 2011 and return to Earth for good in new respective homes across the country. New York, Washington DC, and Cape Canaveral, FL, would each receive one of the retired orbiters for their museums. Endeavour, the baby of the fleet, would be the last orbiter to be sent out, returning to its birthplace of Los Angeles, California.

Just as it had renewed interest in space with its Hubble mission, Endeavour would once again become a point of pride among the country. Planning for the move to its new home at the California Science Center (CSC) would take many months. NASA and the CSC would not only have to plan a flyover of the city, but it would be the only shuttle that would have to navigate residential streets in one of the largest cities in the world to make its way to the final resting area. The final cost would amount to close to $200M, paid for entirely by the CSC using funds and donations. Much like the shuttle program’s lifespan, the move would be criticized due to the dismantling of street lights, trees, and signs along the planned route.

The shuttle arrived in Los Angeles on September 21st, 2012. The number of residents who turned out to see the shuttle flyby would be untold, possibly into the millions, as nearly every roof in the city would have someone perched on top. As the last of the orbiters to be retired, the air was nothing short of ecstatic as a modified 747 carried the spacecraft past several California landmarks, including the Golden Gate bridge, Hollywood sign, and Disneyland. The arrival was not unlike the arrival of the President of the United States as the air was cleared for miles around the shuttle, allowing it to drift quietly as the lone sight among the stars.

Endeavour flying over Griffith Observatory

 Space Shuttle Endeavour makes its final flight over Los Angeles on a modified 747

The tricky part, however, would be the 12 mile trek through southern LA streets. The course would be the first, last, and only time a shuttle would make its way through such a densely populated urban area. The course would involve not only residential areas, but parks, coliseums, and even the crossing of the 405 freeway, one of the busiest in the country. The task would involve using a transporter moving at 2 miles-an-hour or less, and portions of the street would have only inches of clearance on either end. The Endeavour would be the single largest object ever passing through LA, beating a considerably popular rock that had made its way to LACMA several months earlier for an art exhibit.

The move began in the earliest hours of October 12, and would take roughly 2 days before ending at the CSC late on the 13th. Any perceived negative reaction to the move was not apparent as it arrived in the Westchester neighborhood round 2AM. While sidewalks and streets were closed due to safety and logistical concerns, residents still turned up in droves for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see “MIssion 26: The Big Endeavour,” the final mission of the craft. Onlookers would gaze in awe as the ship was parallel parked in a lot along Sepulveda Blvd, and cheers erupted as the transporter engine was turned off to signify the first major stop along the route to allow clearance of the roads ahead.

The next hours would bring their own parade of people and landmarks. Along with the Curiosity rover and Space X’s own successful launches as a private company, the Endeavour craft seemed to inspire generations of people both old and new. As the shuttle was returning home, several tales could be heard about parents or grandparents who had helped build the craft. Current employees of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory gave details on the specifics of the shuttle to curious parade goers. Even the LAPD escorting the craft seemed excited, often stopping for pictures of their own with the shuttle in the background. Perhaps one of the most popular photo opportunities was in the parking lot of the famous Randy’s Donuts, with its giant spherical wonder no stranger to tourists itself. Even Toyota would get in on the parade, towing the large spacecraft with a Tundra pickup truck over the Manchester bridge of the 405 as the main transporter was not approved due to the weight concerns.

When the shuttle goes on permanent display October 30th, it will stand as a reminder of human ingenuity and perseverance. While there will always be controversy regarding the overall program, Endeavour has worked to inspire countless people into looking towards the skies again. Its retirement has brought pride back in full force as the US looks towards the future of space exploration. Whether in building the space station or allowing Hubble to bring us instantly recognizable photographs, the shuttles have been a success in one thing: reminding us that despite how small we are in regards to the universe, that we can still make our way into the outer reaches. That this is just the beginning.

Endeavour crawls towards an overnight parking area during its parade through LA city streets

 Closeup of Endeavour's nose as it makes its way to the California Science Center