Gayle Anderson begins her “Something for the Summer” series of reports at the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center Work in Progress gallery, a dynamic exhibition that offers a sneak peek at new artifacts planned for the new Air and Space Center while reliving past milestones of Space Shuttle Endeavour’s historic arrival and dramatic stacking process.
According to the California Science Center, among the highlights of the Work in Progress gallery is a Dragon cargo spacecraft donated by SpaceX and on public display in California for the first time. This vehicle was the first to reach orbit three times and spent almost 99 days in space in support of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services missions. The Dragon cargo spacecraft delivers crucial supplies, experiments, and equipment to astronauts aboard the space station, ensuring continued scientific research and human presence in space.
Also newly on display is an Electron rocket donated by Rocket Lab, a small orbital-class rocket used to deliver satellites to Earth’s orbit. This 60-foot rocket uses a cluster of 10 Rutherford engines, designed and 3D printed locally in Long Beach, California. Both the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft and the Rocket Lab Electron are examples of the commercial sector’s commitment to space exploration.
Additionally, the Work in Progress gallery features several favorites from the former Samuel Oschin Endeavour Pavilion, including an interactive video tour of the interior of Endeavour, and the Space Shuttle Main Engine, designed and manufactured locally by Aerojet Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, California to help propel the shuttle into orbit. Mission 26: The Big Endeavour photo exhibition returns, including over 80 photographs documenting Space Shuttle Endeavour’s final flight over California and 12-mile, 68-hour journey through the streets of Los Angeles to the Science Center.
For more information about this new exhibition at take a look at the website: CaliforniaScienceCenter.org.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact Gayle Anderson at 323-460-5732, email Gayle at Gayle.Anderson@KTLA.com, Facebook: Gayle Anderson, Instagram and Threads: KTLAChannel5Gayle, and X (Formerly Known As Twitter:) KTLA5Gayle.
Gayle Anderson reports for the KTLA 5 News on July 1, 2024.
