At Florida's Kennedy Space Center, Atlantis is mounted as if in orbit, with payload bay doors open.Īccording to the California Science Center: "This will be the only complete stack of authentic space shuttle flight hardware in existence, making the Endeavour exhibit even more significant than before.
McDonnell Space Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. The space shuttles 154-foot long, 65,000-pound external fuel tank will slowly move through Exposition Park so it can eventually stand alongside the shuttle in a one-of-a-kind launch ready display. Construction continues with the massive external tank and solid rocket boosters for the retired NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour exhibit standing in place (L) at the California Science Center, on Januin Los Angeles, California. Three orbiters remain from the Space Shuttle program and Enterprise, which was used for approach and landing tests and fit checks.
There are some substantial differences in this stack compared to what would have happened more than a decade ago. The six-month operation to assemble all of the Space Shuttle components was dubbed " Go For Stack," and was the first time the space agency's engineers had attempted such an assembly outside of a NASA or Air Force facility. According to the California Science Center, a 450-foot (137 meter) crane was required to lift the 122-foot-long (37 meter) orbiter into its final position. The move is an impressive feat of engineering.