Endeavour

Space Shuttle Endeavour

Today (Sunday) we went to the California Science Centre to see the space shuttle Endeavour which arrived here in 2012. It was a massive undertaking, taking 68 hours to manoeuvre the shuttle from Los Angeles Airport to the Science Centre. They used a massive trolley with independently steerable wheels to guide her through suburban streets and had to cut down trees, lift or take down electric cables and even remove traffic lights and signs. Anyway, she is here and she is magnificent.

The Endeavour was the second last shuttle to fly before they were retired. The final mission was flown by Atlantis, both supplying the International Space Station with supplies and equipment.

Thrusters

We weren't allowed to touch her and she was elevated way above reach anyway. Notice the holes in the nose? They are the Reaction Control System or thrusters which allow the shuttle to be manoeuvred once she is in orbit. Here's a closer picture of them. As you can see, they are angled in different directions to allow fine control. When the shuttle is in the atmosphere, it uses regular control surfaces on the wings and tail to manoeuvre her.

We were allowed to touch her wheels though, in a separate exhibit and you can clearly see the wear marks where she touched down on the tarmac. 

Shuttle wheels

The engines are not in the Endeavour, they are so advanced they have been repurposed into future space missions. NASA did kindly attach nozzles at the rear so she does look complete.

The nose and bottom of the shuttle and all the leading edges are lined with special ceramic heat tiles to absorb the tremendous heat of re-entry, glowing red hot with the friction with the air. However, the technology of the tiles is so advanced that you can pick one up after it has been heated to white hot and it will not transfer any heat to your hand. Each tile is individually numbered and goes in its own special place. Most tiles are replaced after each mission, again painstakingly by hand. Here's and example of one individual tile. You can clearly see its number as well as its neighbour.

Heat tile

After seeing the space shuttle it was time for some lunch at the cafeteria before wending our way home again. We did some washing in the communal laundry several hundred metres from our house. When we went to collect it from the dryer, one sock is missing. Damn! Forgot to disconnect the sock-muncher, it's right next to the button cruncher.  It has been raining for the past two days, quite rare in L. A. as it only rains about 16 times a year. Fortunately tonight it has stopped so we could walk to Luke and Michelle's place for tea. Yesterday we had to take the car and parking is atrocious near their place.

Tomorrow we're off to the L.A. Zoo, which should be interesting.

No engines, nozzles only!