Space Shuttle Endeavour’s Solid Rocket Boosters Completed at the California Science Center

California Science Center Reaches Major Milestone and Completes Solid Rocket Boosters as
Part of Ambitious Go for Stack Configuration

The Two Boosters Will Be Part of Space Shuttle Endeavour’s 20-Story “Ready-to-Launch” Display, the Star Attraction of the Future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center

(Los Angeles, CA | December 6, 2023) — The California Science Center reached a major milestone toward its future display of Space Shuttle Endeavour in ready-to-launch configuration with the completed installation of the massive display’s two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). With the Forward Assemblies installed this week to top off the SRBs, the finished Boosters are the latest achievement in the Science Center’s ambitious Go for Stack operation — the unprecedented, multi-phase process of constructing the world’s only complete, authentic space shuttle system display. Each SRB is made up of three main components: An Aft Skirt, which forms the base of the 149-foot-tall SRB; the Solid Rocket Motor, which makes up the largest part of the SRB; and the Forward Assembly, the cone-shaped top of the SRB.

When fully installed, California Science Center’s space shuttle stack will tower 200-feet tall and include the orbiter Endeavour, the two Solid Rocket Boosters, and ET-94, the last remaining flight-qualified External Tank. The exhibit will be the star attraction in the future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a major expansion to the Science Center, which will be completed around the full shuttle stack.

This Go for Stack achievement comes just weeks before the current Endeavour exhibition in the Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Pavilion is set to close. December 31, 2023 will be the last chance to see Endeavour on exhibit until the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens to the public in a few years. While Endeavour is off exhibit, the California Science Center remains one of the largest science centers in the nation, with multiple hands-on exhibit galleries, special exhibitions, and IMAX movies for guests to experience.

“I am thrilled to announce the completion of a significant Go for Stack milestone marked by the successful installation of the two space shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters,” said Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO of the California Science Center. “This achievement underscores our commitment to advancing science learning and creating opportunities for inspiration. We look forward to the continued progress on the vertical installation of Endeavour and to sharing this awe-inspiring display with guests when we open the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center in a few years.”

The roughly six-month Go for Stack process began in July with the installation of the Solid Rocket Booster Aft Skirts. The two Solid Rocket Motors were installed in November, and the Forward Assemblies were lifted into place Monday and Tuesday of this week, completing the Solid Rocket Boosters. The next step in Go for Stack will be the move and lift of the External Tank, ET-94, anticipated in January, followed by Space Shuttle Endeavour’s move across Exposition Park and lift into place. The final step is the intricate mating of the orbiter with the rest of the space shuttle stack later that month.

The future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is a 200,000 square foot expansion that will double the Science Center’s educational exhibit space, adding an impressive collection of 100 authentic artifacts integrated with 100 new hands-on exhibits. Guests of all ages will be encouraged to investigate scientific and engineering principles of atmospheric flight and the exploration of the universe in three major galleries—the Aviation Gallery, Shuttle Gallery, and Space Gallery. As the third phase of the California Science Center’s three-phase, three-decade master plan to develop one of the world’s leading science learning centers, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will provide a one-of-a-kind educational opportunity for our Los Angeles community and guests from around the globe. Building construction is underway with artifact and exhibit installation to follow.