Because somebody turned on the Meatball signal.
Authorized by Congress in August 1987 as a replacement for the Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger, Endeavour (OV-105) arrived at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility on May 7, 1991… For the first time, an orbiter was named through a national competition involving students in elementary and secondary schools. They were asked to select a name based upon an exploratory or research sea vessel.
After a cross-country journey, a meandering California flyover, and stopping traffic on the 105, baby space shuttle Endeavour landed piggy-back at LAX on September 21, 2012, greeted by Nichelle Nichols singing Star Trek's theme song:
Three weeks later, October 11th at 11:30pm, Endeavour traveled 12 miles on a 68-hour non-stop journey through LA streets (and Inglewood), navigating the tight spots (LA just moved a 340-ton boulder, so this was easy), making sure not to dunk the donut at Manchester:
My #1 favorite photo (yes! Endeavour got amazingly close):
Photobombing some basketball jones:
According to photographer Wally Skalij, the kids are Traymond Harris (L), and Ryan Hudge (R).
Teachers reported that many school children stood frozen when they first saw the priceless spaceship atop its giant 747. Unable to move at first, they later chased after Endeavour as far at they could run just trying to be a part of it all.
Finally reaching her new home at the California Science Center where peak daily visitorship went from 7,000 to 21,000. Currently, Endeavour sits wheels stop, but future plans mount her vertically—nose to the stars—with a full stack, replicating NASA on a miniature scale.
The Science Center is open to the public seven days a week, 362 days per year, with free general admission to its permanent exhibit galleries.
Thanks to this guy, Dr. Ken Phillips, the California Science Center's Curator of Aerospace Science, for visioning this future in 1991.
Phillips also felt a personal connection to Endeavour as the replacement for Challenger. His college friend at North Carolina A&T University, Ronald McNair, was one of the seven astronauts killed when Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after liftoff. - - - When Endeavour rolled off the production line 21 years ago, it was to replace the Challenger, which exploded shortly after launch in 1986. The new "jewel of the fleet" had more bells and whistles than other orbiters and was expected to fly 100 missions over the coming years. But it would complete only 25.
In this presentation (Feb. 16, 2013 @ Western Museum of Flight), Dr. Phillips explains that the shuttle isn't just the orbiter, "but the shuttle is the complete stack that includes the flying vehicle that reenters the atmosphere, the two rocket boosters, and the external tank". He begins with two videos: one showing vehicle assembly attaching boosters and tank to the orbiter, and a rare slow-motion ascent with fascinating detail of SRB separation.
Later, Dr. Phillips shows a 6-minute video on Endeavour's 68-hour trek, and also explains the process of how California was selected to receive this national artifact, since they usually go to the Smithsonian where museums borrow for display. The process of giving away space shuttles was entirely new; see also NASA interview of Bill Roberts, the project manager for orbiter transition and retirement. Note: Since this video, the payload was installed in Endeavour's cargo bay: Go for Payload! & NASA donated a flight-ready (but empty of fuel) external tank (CSC's ET-94 Press Kit; Giant Yellow Space Banana to Take Over LA Streets Like the Space Shuttle Endeavour). Dr. Phillips was also co-investigator for Ascent to Orbit: An Educator Professional Development Program Investigating STEM Concepts for Space Shuttle Missions and Beyond, training 125 teachers (4th to 8th grades) from the Greater Los Angeles area, by providing a "core set of STEM concepts that stimulate critical thinking about science and engineering principles" to help students foster an interest in space flight.
One final time-lapse video:
OK, one more!
I burst into tears when the CSC guide told me Endeavour was downstairs, nose facing us. If you get the chance to visit one of the shuttles, please go! And to all the space fiends who said not enough Americans were watching shuttle missions:
Godspeed, Mission 26!