Endeavour Shuttle's Twin Rocket Boosters Arrive At Exposition Park

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Space Shuttle Endeavour's twin rocket boosters safely made their way to Exposition Park in Los Angeles this week. There, they join the large rocket booster and the shuttle itself and can finally be restored into full "launch position" for the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.

The two rocket boosters or motors made their way on a 12-mile trek Wednesday through city streets, navigating intersections with a crowd of followers in tow. They were taken out of storage from the Mojave Air And Space Port earlier this week, and are part of a donation by Northrop Grumman Corporation.

The President and CEO of the California Science Center, Jeffrey Rudolph, spoke on the arrival Wednesday, remarking that it was precisely 11 years since "Endeavour made its way to the science center." In 2016, the large fuel tank, the biggest of the three booster systems, arrived in Los Angeles with similar fanfare. Now, all of the pieces are in place.

"Today, the Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) arrived exactly 11 years after space shuttle Endeavour made its 12-mile journey across the streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood. Swipe through to see some heartwarming highlights from our SRMs' journey home.

"The SRMs are the final elements of the space shuttle system to reach the California Science Center. The various shuttle components will make up the world's only authentic, ready-to-launch space shuttle stack—complete with the orbiter Endeavour, two Solid Rocket Boosters, and External Tank.

"The future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, the Science Center's upcoming addition, will serve as a launchpad for creativity and innovation, which will inspire future generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers. Join the mission to help us build the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at EndeavourLA.org.

"Thank you to our community for celebrating with us today!" Rudolph said.

The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in Exposition Park will nearly double the Science Center's educational exhibition space, officials said. The building will include three multi-level galleries, themed air, space, and shuttle. The new facility will also house an events and exhibit center that will house large-scale rotating exhibitions.

The highlight of the new space center will be the reconfigured display of the Endeavour shuttle, which has been housed at the Science Center for about a decade. The shuttle is currently displayed horizontally.

In its new home, however, the shuttle will be paired with a pair of solid rocket boosters and a large external fuel tank and displayed vertically in its launch position, making it the only shuttle display of its type.