The Space Shuttle Endeavour dazzled Angelenos in 2012 when it soared into SoCal airspace and slowly rolled its way along city streets to the California Science Center. But the shuttle isn't the only piece of cosmic equipment that the museum will have on display.
An external tank, essentially a space shuttle's gas tank, is on its way to the Exposition Park museum. The tank arrived by boat in Marina del Rey this morning and will begin its 13 to 16 hour trek to the California Science Center this Saturday, May 21.
These iconic rusty-colored tanks used to hold a combination of combustive propellants to push the space shuttles into orbit, after which the tanks would detach and fall back to Earth. Since these tanks were designed to burn up upon reentry into the atmosphere, the one destined for the museum—ET-94—never saw outer space. It is, however, the last flight-qualified external tank in existence. When the museum's proposed Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center opens in 2019, the space shuttle will be displayed vertically alongside the fuel tank.
ET-94 began its journey at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans before being loaded onto a barge that passed through the Panama Canal and up the Pacific Coast. Here in Los Angeles, you'll primarily be able to spot the tank along Lincoln Boulevard, Westchester Parkway, Manchester Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. Though larger and longer than Endeavour, ET-94 is neither as wide or high so fewer utilities will need to be removed along the way.
Here are the approximate arrival times for ET-94's journey on Saturday, along with a more detailed look at its route.
12:01am: Leave the marina
8-9:30am: Arbor Vitae between Inglewood and Rosewood aves
Noon-2pm: The Forum
2:30-4pm: Manchester and Vermont
6:30-8pm: Vermont and MLK
7:30-9pm: Expo Park
Here's the detailed route:
Marina Del Rey parking lot to Fiji Way
Fiji Way to Lincoln (PCH)
Lincoln to Mindanao Way
Mindanao Way to CA-90
CA-90 to Culver Blvd
Culver Blvd to Lincoln via transition ramp
Lincoln to Loyola Blvd
Loyola Blvd to Westchester Pkwy
Westchester Parkway turns into Arbor Vitae St at Airport Blvd; Arbor Vitae St to La Brea Ave
La Brea Ave to Manchester Blvd
Manchester Blvd to Vermont Ave
Vermont Ave to Martin Luther King Blvd
Martin Luther King Blvd to Exposition Park