The space shuttle Endeavour officially claimed its permanent residence in Los Angeles on Friday, as the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opened its doors to a crowd of nearly 800 schoolchildren.
The massive orbiter, displayed in its vertical launch configuration, now serves as the centerpiece of the California Science Center’s long-awaited expansion.
For U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, an astronaut who flew aboard Endeavour twice, the moment carried a profound weight. Standing among the next generation of potential engineers and explorers, Kelly reflected on the shuttle’s history, noting that it was constructed as the replacement for the ill-fated Challenger.
He described the vessel as “the most complicated thing humans have ever built,” and expressed his hope that its presence would inspire children to pursue challenging paths in math and science, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“A little kid is gonna say, 'Wow! People built that, and it went into space. Boy, if people could do that, maybe I can do anything,'” U.S. Senator Mark Kelly said.
The transition of the shuttle to its new home was a marathon of logistics and community engagement. Fourteen years in the making, the project saw the spacecraft travel through the streets of Los Angeles, an event that became a city-wide spectacle.
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles) recalled the night the shuttle became temporarily lodged on Crenshaw Boulevard, describing it as a moment that brought together residents from across the region, from the Valley to Watts, to witness the “majestic, magical thing” parked in their neighborhood.
The exhibit’s namesake, the late Samuel Oschin, was represented by his wife, Lynda Oschin, who was moved to tears by the sight of the shuttle standing upright.
She shared that she had previously requested that a photograph of her husband be placed in the commander’s seat during the shuttle’s transit from Houston, a tribute that remains in the cockpit today. “It’s there, and it’s framed now, and it’s in there forever,” she said.
“It's all about the children, future, curiosity and knowledge,” Lynda Oschin said.
The opening ceremony featured a mix of political figures and veteran astronauts, including Tom Marshburn and Julie Payette, who spent time greeting students and offering high-fives.
Marshburn, who logged 330 days in space, emphasized the intensity of the work required for spaceflight, noting that despite the romance often associated with the cosmos, the reality is defined by rigorous labor and the vital importance of teamwork. Payette echoed this sentiment, highlighting that in the environment of space, national identity and language barriers fade behind the necessity of collective survival.
The educational impact of the new center was immediate. Students like 10-year-old Areli Castillo expressed newfound interest in the lives of astronauts, while 17-year-old Emmanuel Montenegro admitted that what he expected to be a simple day off from school turned into a genuine fascination with the complexity of the spacecraft’s design. The center further leaned into the interactive experience with the debut of a 45-foot shuttle descent slide, which simulates the vehicle’s return to Earth as a glider.
Actor Iain Armitage, who participated in the slide’s inaugural run alongside producer Chuck Lorre, said, “The emotional experience you have getting to see the Endeavour in person is insane. It’s such a culmination of all these incredible, brilliant minds thinking so technically that it comes together. It makes things so beautiful and so human.”
The California Science Center’s project represents a significant investment in STEM education infrastructure in Southern California. By placing the shuttle in a vertical launch position, the museum provides a perspective on the vehicle’s scale that was previously impossible in its horizontal hangar.
The exhibit aims to bridge the gap between historical achievement and future innovation, encouraging young visitors to see the “hard stuff” of engineering as an attainable goal.
Jeffrey N. Rudolph, president and CEO of the California Science Center, framed the day as a celebration of human ambition. “Today is about dreams,” Rudolph said, as the museum prepared to welcome its first full public crowds to the permanent home of a craft that flew 25 missions into orbit and back.
The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is now open for public visitation in Los Angeles.
