THE ENDEAVOUR'S FINAL FLIGHT!!

Sept 20 - 21 - A moment in history!!  And we missed it!!!  Thursday morning as we watched TV, the west coast news was full of stories and pictures about the Endeavour's Final Flight.  We were watching at 9:00 AM.  TV coverage was following the Endeavour's Final Flight as it headed toward Edwards Air Force Base, scheduled to land around Noon.  If we had left at that moment, we could have made it to Edwards (150 miles from TT Palm Springs) in time to see the Shuttle come in for a landing!!  But we did not leave, and so we missed it!!

Mounted atop a modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, the shuttle heads toward Edward AF Base.  (From NBC News on TV)



Early on Friday morning, the Endeavour left Edwards, heading for Los Angeles Airport.  It made flyovers of many Southern California sites en route, including Palmdale, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Griffith Observatory, Disneyland, and the Hollywood sign before heading to LAX.  Notice how low it is flying -- only about 500 feet!!  Amazing!!

The following pictures were taken from The Atlantic, Sept. 29, 2012 – In Focus - Because we were not there!!!

I did not realize that Southern California was so involved in the space program, but they have built and tested most of the space shuttles.  Tens of thousands of people turned out to witness this moment in history.  But we were not there!!!

 

One of several fly-bys over LAX,

 



Coming in for a landing at LAX!!  But we were not there!!

 

Once at LAX, the Endeavour was removed from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft by crane.  Fascinating!!

Around September 12 or 13, the Endeavour will be transported overland to the California Science Center.  We will probably be at the wrong place at the wrong time and will not be able to participate in that moment in history either.  That's OK.  It was amazing to watch the entire episode play out on TV.  Great coverage!!!