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Perhaps a good omen…. as I was driving over the Carquinez Bridge en route to the BALLS rocket launch event, Endeavour flew right in front of me.

She is en route to the California Science Center, and this particular shuttle is special to me since I have crawled through the flight deck and payload bay to create the virtual tour the museum will use to show what it looks like on the inside when powered up (something that can never happen again now that the coolant fluid was drained out of her). Here is a staged online version; the final will be in a dedicated kiosk.

And here are the photos I took of Endeavour at Cape Canaveral. More below.

So it was a magical moment to see her final flight and swan song… while driving a truck full of rockets no less. =)

12 responses to “Final Flight of Endeavour”

  1. jurvetson Avatar
    jurvetson

    IMG_5780

    This week, she mounts onto the Overland Transporter (a giant 80-wheel robot) at the UA hangar and Oct 12-13 overnight she drives the 12.4 miles to the CSC museum. My shuttle-filming-friend David Knight will be there. Here is his video footage from the helicopter circling over Endeavour as she rolled up to LAX.

    Reply
  2. js.brain Avatar
    js.brain

    What a perfect timing, serendipitous and luck to be driving a truck full of rockets .. Sending her a message that will continue to support the Space science and vision!
    Breathtaking

    Reply
  3. drona Avatar
    drona

    Amazing shots…so serendipitous that you were there at so many points during her life’s journey, and at the end. She looks ready for some well-deserved rest.

    Reply
  4. jitze Avatar
    jitze

    Here she is as she bade farewell to NASA Ames, approaching to fly over the skeleton of Hangar One at Moffett
    [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jitze1942/8010419483/in/photostream]

    Reply
  5. bcnfoto Avatar
    bcnfoto

    Great shots!!!!!!!

    Reply
  6. seatonsnet Avatar
    seatonsnet

    Whenever I see these pictures of the Endeavor riding piggyback, I always expect a giant old lady to appear and throw a bucket of cold water on them.

    Reply
  7. Happy Tinfoil Cat Avatar
    Happy Tinfoil Cat

    I kinda was expecting you to post photos from the cockpit during this last flight. You turn up in the darnedest places. Great shot by the way.

    Reply
  8. jurvetson Avatar
    jurvetson

    From the cockpit of Endeavour…, yes sir! =)

    Pilot's Seat of Space Shuttle Endeavour
    We were Go Flight!

    Reply
  9. Kevin Baird Avatar
    Kevin Baird

    Awesome catch!

    Reply
  10. jurvetson Avatar
    jurvetson

    and the transfer order from KSC to CSC

    Endeavour_Transfer-Order

    Reply
  11. Kaets Ebut Avatar
    Kaets Ebut

    > as I was driving over the Carquinez Bridge en route to the BALLS rocket launch
    > event, Endeavour flew right in front of me.

    Of course it did! When telling acquaintances about you, I occasionally describe you as a smart version of Forrest Gump. 😉

    Reply
  12. jurvetson Avatar
    jurvetson

    P.S. A friend of a friend took this amazing shot from the F/A-18 escort plane as Endeavour passed over the Golden Gate Bridge. Breathtaking to see the full-res version…

    Reply

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