Space Shuttle Endeavour to Fly Over LA Landmarks

Angelenos will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness Space Shuttle Endeavour in its final moments of flight Friday morning as the shuttle, attached to a modified Boeing 747, will fly over multiple Los Angeles landmarks before touching down at Los Angeles International Airport.

According to the California Science Center, Endeavour will dip to 1,500 feet to give the public a better view of the shuttle as it passes over famous landmarks in the Southland including the Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles City Hall, the Getty Center, the Queen Mary, Malibu and the Griffith Observatory.

The science center said that the public can expect to see the shuttle in Los Angeles air space starting around 10:30 a.m., weather permitting.

Escorted by F-16 aircraft, the shuttle is then expected to land from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on one of LAX's south runways, airport officials told Patch on Tuesday. 

The Los Angeles Police Department said it is urging motorists to remain focused while driving Friday morning as the shuttle flies around Los Angeles.

"This is an impressive sight that has the potential for distracting drivers and pedestrians," LAPD said in a news statement. "Law enforcement and transportation officials want to remind motorists and visitors not to stop on the roads or highways in order to view or take photographs of the shuttle fly over."

After completing 25 missions and traveling 122,883,151 miles in space, Friday's historic flight will mark the last time Endeavour, or any of NASA's shuttles, will ever be airborne.

Once it lands, Endeavour will have just 12 more miles to travel as it is slowly driven through city streets to the California Science Center starting on October 12. At that time, the public will have its second chance at witnessing history.

"This will mark the first, last and only time a space shuttle will travel through 12 miles of urban, public streets," said California Science Center President Jeffrey Rudolph last month. "It’s not only one of the biggest objects ever transported down city streets—it’s an irreplaceable national treasure."

Flyover Locations

According to the FAA and the California Science Center, the following Los Angeles landmarks will see a fly over by Space Shuttle Endeavour if conditions permit. For more viewing locations and parking information, the science center recommends the public contact each venue for specific details.

• California Science Center
• Los Angeles City Hall
• Griffith Observatory
• NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena)
• Hollywood Hills
• Disneyland
• The Getty Center
• Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
• Malibu
• Queen Mary
• Universal Studios
• Venice Beach
• Santa Monica Pier
• Boeing Plant (Seal Beach)
• Space X (Hawthorne)

Where do you plan to watch Space Shuttle Endeavour fly over Los Angeles? Tell us in the comments section!