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Once on wheels, the 122-by-78-
by-57-foot
Endeavour
has to travel 6
miles to themuseum. This requires the
temporary removal of most power lines
and traffic signals, two engineering
firms to plan the route and one person to
“drive” the four mobile transporters that
carry the shuttle. The pressure will be on.
“We expect to see thousands of people
lining the road to watch,” Rudolph says.
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A “mate-demate device” is a special
machine used to place the shuttle on
the back of themodified Boeing 747 that
will transport it across the country. Such
a device would also be used to remove
the shuttle after the trip is complete, but
there’s just one problem: LAX doesn’t
have one. So engineers there plan to
erect a number of large cranes to take
Endeavour
off the 747.
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
•
SEPTEMBER 2012
•
ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES PROVOST
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A RETIRED SPACE SHUTTLE HITCHES A RIDE
Scientists go to great lengths to inspire the next generation, includingmounting some
pre y unwieldy artifacts (think dinosaur skeletons) inmuseum entrance halls. The latest
of these displays is set to top themall: the recently decommissioned
Endeavour
, one of three
space shu les now transitioning fromactive astronaut-carriers to awe-inspiring exhibits.
Over the next twomonths,
Endeavour
will be installed in its newhome, the California Science
Center—and, as youmight expect, ge ing a 122-foot-long spacecra to Los Angeles from
Florida’s Kennedy Space Center comes with a few challenges. Here’s how they’ll do it.
BY JACQUELINE DETWILER
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“The shuttle has a number of
toxicmaterials in it—rocket fuel, for
instance—and hatches that have
explosives,” says Jeff Rudolph, president
of the California Science Center. These
have to be removed by NASA staff
before
Endeavour
will be safe for the
public to visit. NASAwill also pull out the
toilets and galleys—as it does after every
spacemission—for a separate display.
HOW IT’S DONE
INNOVATION BUSINESS GADGETRY
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