Endeavour: Deservicing and Retirement Updates

[brettreds2k]

Atlantis is not complete as of yet, She will finish up in the OPF once Endeavour rolls out to the Mate Device.

[psloss]

I'm curious as to why it took Endeavour longer to finish T&R than Atlantis, when Atlantis was retired over a month after Endeavour.

It hasn't taken longer; there was a long time when they couldn't work on her much, if at all.  Endeavour was stored in the VAB for a long time with little or no T&R work done -- from the end of the summer last year through all of January.  Resources are limited -- most of the workforce was let go and many of the facilities are no longer available.

Atlantis is not complete as of yet, She will finish up in the OPF once Endeavour rolls out to the Mate Device.

Rocket Guy posted the current plan a few posts up -- they'll switch places next month rather than coincident with the planned ferry in September:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=25399.msg922534#msg922534

[PahTo]

Has Endeavour's schedule been firmed up?  I saw mention of Los Angeles scheduling traffic detours and road closures, but no actual dates.

What is the planned arrival date/day for Endeavour at LAX?
Thanks!

[TheFallen]

https://twitter.com/casciencecenter/status/222490774338682880

[nathan.moeller]

What is the planned arrival date/day for Endeavour at LAX?
Thanks!

As of now - September 21 (Friday)

[collectSPACE]

California Science Center lines up hangars to house space shuttle Endeavour
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-071112a.html

Preparations at the California Science Center to receive the space shuttle Endeavour this September are in full swing, the center's president and CEO told collectSPACE. In addition to raising the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion on site, an airline's hangar has been secured to temporarily house the orbiter at Los Angeles International Airport.

The CSC has also received one of Endeavour's large payloads for display alongside Endeavour, and decided to forgo an external tank artifact in favor of fabricating a replica for its future vertical launch pad-like display of the space shuttle.

[brettreds2k]

Does anyone know how long Endeavour will be housed at LAX, and how truly secure will she be there? I wonder if it will be a secure hangar or when no one is around if someone who is not supposed to be there could slip into the hangar.

[TheFallen]

California Science Center lines up hangars to house space shuttle Endeavour
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-071112a.html

Preparations at the California Science Center to receive the space shuttle Endeavour this September are in full swing, the center's president and CEO told collectSPACE. In addition to raising the Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion on site, an airline's hangar has been secured to temporarily house the orbiter at Los Angeles International Airport.

The CSC has also received one of Endeavour's large payloads for display alongside Endeavour, and decided to forgo an external tank artifact in favor of fabricating a replica for its future vertical launch pad-like display of the space shuttle.

"After our engineers' review of the ET, it was determined that its current condition was not suitable for supporting the orbiter safely," Rudolph explained. "We will fabricate a replica for the vertical display."

Wow. I wonder how much it will cost to build that ET replica?

[collectSPACE]

Does anyone know how long Endeavour will be housed at LAX, and how truly secure will she be there?

Per the California Science Center, there will be no public access to the United Airlines hangar during the time Endeavour is at LAX.

The shuttle's stay at LAX will only be between the time it lands in Los Angeles and its parade, a matter of a few weeks (the dates for the landing and parade have yet to be formally announced).

[brettreds2k]

Thank you, I was thinking it was being stored there for an extended time due to the building wouldn't be ready, etc

[wolfpack]

Wow. I wonder how much it will cost to build that ET replica?

Probably not too terribly much, as you can use steel.

[psloss]

California Science Center lines up hangars to house space shuttle Endeavour
http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-071112a.html

Cool -- thanks for the status update.

The shuttle's stay at LAX will only be between the time it lands in Los Angeles and its parade, a matter of a few weeks (the dates for the landing and parade have yet to be formally announced).

The LA Times mentioned in a story a while back that they were looking for a Saturday -- do you know if that's still favored? 

(Given the proximity of the Coliseum, I see that USC's home football schedule is open between 22 September and 20 October...)

[collectSPACE]

The CSC has said about the event dates that they will announce the schedule for both (the ferry and the parade) when both are confirmed.

[Jason1701]

(Given the proximity of the Coliseum, I see that USC's home football schedule is open between 22 September and 20 October...)

I'm really hoping that the ferry gets delayed to 22 September and can do a flyover of the Coliseum.

[TheFallen]

(Given the proximity of the Coliseum, I see that USC's home football schedule is open between 22 September and 20 October...)

I'm really hoping that the ferry gets delayed to 22 September and can do a flyover of the Coliseum.

I like that idea!