These schematics envision how the orbiter will be lifted with two cranes. The plan holds that early next year, the 176,000-pound Endeavour itself will be lifted into launch position using two cranes, one of which will simply make sure the orbiter’s tail doesn’t hit the ground. Before Endeavour can join those SRBs, the 76,000-pound external tank (technically known as ET-94) must be moved into place, too. Those two SRBs will weigh in at a total of a quarter million pounds together. Other segments, called the solid rocket motors, which are about 116 feet tall, will join them to make up each SRB, as will parts called forward assemblies. The aft skirts comprise the base of the solid rocket boosters (SRBs). The aft skirts in position on the concrete pad. Each of those aft skirts are as wide as 18 feet and weigh 13,000 pounds and have both lifted off on actual shuttle flights. It kicked off in earnest on July 20, when two components called aft skirts came in via crane and were lowered into position on a concrete pad. To get it into the launch position requires an operation worthy of an actual NASA mission. This’ll be 200 feet tall-20 stories tall-and you’ll be able to look at it multiple perspectives, multiple views, at multiple levels.” “But it will be amazing, and we think far better display, when it’s vertical, with the whole stack. And instead of having to cope with the forces of a launch, the orbiter assembly will need to withstand any California earthquakes.Īs Endeavour is now, “it’s a great display, you can walk under it, look up at the tiles-it’s wonderful,” says Jeffrey Rudolph, the president and CEO of the museum. When that happens, it’ll be the only shuttle displayed vertically. But the museum has towering plans for the shuttle: It’s going to move it into a vertical position, and display it with solid rocket boosters and an external fuel tank, all attached together as if the ship was about to blast off into space. Right now, that space shuttle, which made 25 trips to space and back, is on display horizontally at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. And don’t forget about Enterprise in New York City, a shuttle that never flew into space but did glide through the atmosphere. You could travel to Virginia and see Discovery, or journey to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida to check out the angled Atlantis.

If you want to see a retired NASA space shuttle, you have a few options. The space shuttle Endeavour's final flight was on May 16, 2011.

Where is space shuttle endeavour now