The Space Shuttle Endeavour, NASA's final orbiter, will soon be permanently displayed in a launch configuration at the California Science Center starting November 13, 2026. This new exhibit, housed in a 200,000-square-foot addition, will feature the shuttle with its solid boosters and external tank, alongside 100 aerospace artifacts.

Previously displayed horizontally since 2012, Endeavour's transition to a vertical launch position aims to immerse visitors in the astronaut experience. Museum guests can ascend a 140-foot gantry elevator, simulating pre-launch boarding. NASA built Endeavour as a replacement after the Challenger disaster, and it flew numerous missions from 1992 until its retirement in 2011.

The shuttle's journey to Los Angeles in 2012 was a slow, 12-mile overland trek from LAX. This upcoming exhibit offers a dramatically different presentation, allowing the public to witness the orbiter as it was prepared for its historic voyages into space.