Space Shuttle Endeavour Comes to L.A.
The California Science Center has a new addition to add to its collection. On Tuesday NASA signed over the ownership rights to the retired space shuttle Endeavour to the science center. Attending the ownership ceremony was the crew from the shuttle's final mission: Michael Fincke, Gregory Johnson, Roberto Vittori, Andrew Feustel and Cmdr. Mark Kelly, husband of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
The shuttle was built 20 years ago and is NASA's newest shuttle. It is estimated to be worth $1,980,674,785, according to a report done by the Los Angeles Times.
"NASA is pleased to share this wonderful orbiter with the California Science Center to help inspire a new generation of explorers," said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in a NASA press release. "The next chapter in space exploration begins now, and we're standing on the shoulders of the men and women of the shuttle program to reach farther into the solar system."
The California Science Center, which is run by the state, is still figuring out how to actually get the space shuttle to Los Angeles. Endeavour is expected to arrive in late 2012.
NASA Will also sign over two other space shuttles to museums across the country. Space shuttle Discovery will be exhibited at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. and space shuttle Atlantis will be displayed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
