Shuttle Endeavour enters hangar

It was just after 7:30 p.m. Sunday when the space shuttle Endeavor rolled into its enormous hangar at the California Science Center and finally came to a rest after its 12-mile journey thorough Los Angeles.

It was also the moment Ken Carrion said he could finally breathe easy. As a project manager for the Sarens Group, the heavy lifting firm that moved the 85-ton orbiter to its new home, Carrion sweated every inch of the craft’s movement through local streets.

"This has been the most humbling and exhilarating experience in my  40 years in construction," the 65-year-old said as he stood beneath the shuttle’s nose. "Everywhere I was it was giving me goose bumps to see the L.A. community come together."

Once the shuttle was finally parked in the hangar, workers began the laborious task of welding the shuttle into place. But not before Sarens crew and Science Center employees took a few minutes to shake hands, call family and pat each other on the back.

"I'm speechless, this is unbelievable. The last moments of its final mission have ended,” said Luis Vides, 25, a Science Center employee.

A throng of about 30 loyal shuttle watchers applauded as Endeavour disappeared into the hangar. After they left, new crowds of spectators began circulating through the park, as police worked to keep them from getting too close to the work.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

-- Joseph Serna

A "kiss" for the shuttle Endeavour

In a town known for the paparazzi, space shuttle Endeavour has likely set a new bar for being the subject of photographs.

All weekend, people were snapping photos of the spacecraft as it rolled down the streets of Los Angeles.

Scores of people shared their photos with The Times. You can look at them here.

Some people had some fun with the shuttle, using the tricks of photography to make them look closer to the shuttle than they actually were.

Tamara Grey "kissed" the shuttle; Ted Tablan photographed a worker "lifting" it.

After a dramatic three-day parade through city streets marked by repeated lengthy delays, Endeavour was greeted by thousands of cheering spectators as it pulled up to its new home at the California Science Center.

The shuttle’s arrival, shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, was more than 16 hours behind schedule, but the 85-ton orbiter survived its 12-mile journey through the city streets, from Los Angeles International Airport to the museum at Exposition Park, without a scratch.

Space Shuttle Endeavour: 'Mission Accomplished'

After a dramatic three-day parade through city streets marked by repeated lengthy delays, the space shuttle Endeavour was greeted by thousands of cheering spectators as it pulled up to its new home at the California Science Center.

The shuttle’s arrival, shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, was more than 16 hours behind schedule, but the 85-ton orbiter survived its 12-mile journey through the city streets, from Los Angeles International Airport to the museum at Exposition Park, without a scratch.

“Mission 26 – mission accomplished,” Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told reporters and spectators, standing at Exposition Park with the shuttle rising behind him as a backdrop. The mayor was referencing the shuttle’s 25 space missions and its journey across the city.

 PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A., Inglewood

The shuttle’s progress was slowed by unexpected maintenance issues and last-minute maneuvers to avoid obstacles like trees and utility poles.

Before the move, 268 trees were cut down in the city to ease the shuttle’s route, and officials temporarily took down 223 traffic signals and raised more than 100 power lines and utility wires. They designed a complex series of zigzag, crablike movements to move the shuttle through Martin Luther King Jr.  Boulevard without harming pine trees planted in honor of the slain civil rights leader.

Even so, the journey was halted repeatedly so crews could do last-minute trims on tree branches. At one point, workers lowered the shuttle so it could sneak under the branches of a leafy tree.

The trip was also lengthened when what was expected to be a two-hour maintenance stop in Leimert Park on Saturday night stretched on for five hours. As it began rolling again, crews spotted a hydraulic leak from one of the wheeled trailers under the spacecraft, and it ground to halt again.

Despite the delays, the waiting crowds remained buoyant and peaceful. When the Endeavour reached the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Vermont Avenue at about 10:45 a.m., thousands of people poured into the streets chanting “Science Center or bust!”, “Let’s go, let’s go!” and “So close, so close!”

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

 The Los Angeles Police Department reported no arrests among the crowds, although some spectators suffered from heat exhaustion and other injuries. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to 64 medical calls for service.

Many spectators waited through the night or rose long before dawn for their chance to view a piece of history. Some were still clad in pajamas and bathrobes as they waited for the shuttle to pass through their neighborhoods early in the morning.

Guy Quesada, 42, started his stakeout at the California Science Center at 4 p.m. Saturday, but after hours of fruitless waiting, decided if the shuttle would not come to him, he would go to it. He walked west on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Saturday evening for about an hour until he reached the shuttle, where he had to squeeze around hundreds of cramped bodies to get a good view. By Sunday morning, he had wandered back east to the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 6th Avenue, where he watched the shuttle through a pair of binoculars.

“The actual wing was right over us. It creeped right over us,” Quesada said, smiling as he recounted being so close he could read the numbers on the shuttle’s individual tiles.

Donna Rosen, 61, drove from Santa Clarita at 4 a.m. Sunday to walk alongside the shuttle for a few hours. For her, the mission was partly personal. In the early 1980s she had worked in the governor’s office in Texas and met shuttle astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen.

“I didn’t know it was on my bucket list, but it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen,” Rosen said.

The California Science Center said the total bill for transporting the Endeavour from LAX to its new home could exceed $10 million, a tab that the center is covering with donations. Officials have stressed that none of the costs will be paid with taxpayer dollars.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

— Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber at Exposition Park

Endeavour arrives at California Science Center

After a dramatic three-day parade through city streets, Endeavour arrived at its new home at the California Science Center shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday amid cheers from thousands gathered to witness a piece of history.

"Mission 26 — Mission Accomplished," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at a news conference at Exposition Park, the shuttle rising behind him as a backdrop. The mayor was referencing the shuttle’s 25 space missions and its journey across the city.

The 85-ton orbiter pulled up next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and ground to a halt so that the mayor and others could officially mark its arrival at the park near the USC campus.

"Today everyone in the city of Los Angeles is an astronaut," said L.A. Fire Department Chief Brian Cummings at the news conference.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked the people of L.A. who showed up to see the shuttle, saying that in 35 years of dealing with crowds he was most impressed by  Endeavour's fans.

"The best, most enthusiastic — this is the best crowd we've ever worked with," Beck said.

Kenneth E. Phillips, curator of aerospace science at the Science Center, said it would be a few hours before the shuttle is moved into its hangar nearby. The wheels on the shuttle's special transporter have to be adjusted before making the move.

The shuttle was more than 15 hours behind schedule but survived its journey without a scratch. 

After enduring many delays, the shuttle reached the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Vermont Avenue near Exposition Park about 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Thousands of people poured onto the streets. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!"

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, as he walked in front of the massive orbiter.

Given the size of the crowds that had come out to see the shuttle the last three days, Rudolph said, the total had to be in the "seven figures."

The 85-ton shuttle was delayed several times along the last leg of its three-day, 12-mile journey as it weaved its way around a number of obstacles, sometimes its wings coming within inches of trees and utility poles.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

By 8:30 a.m., Endeavour had meandered its way out of another tree-lined neighborhood and then had to navigate between a Ralph's grocery store and C&C Caribbean Market at Western Avenue.

A row of people, who started to shed their sweaters, stood on top of a fence at Red Carpet Car Wash to see over the hordes of people between them and the shuttle.

After a 4 a.m. commute from Santa Clarita, Donna Rosen, 61, saw the shuttle in the dark and got to walk alongside it for a few hours.

Seeing the orbiter was impressive but also personal for Rosen. In the early '80s, when she worked in the governor's office in Texas, Rosen got to meet shuttle astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen.

"I didn't know it was on my bucket list, but it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen," Rosen said of the experience of seeing the shuttle.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

— Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber at Exposition Park

Photo: People take to rooftops for a glimpse of space shuttle Endeavour as it makes its way down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times

Endeavour touches down at Exposition Park, nears Science Center

The space shuttle Endeavour has entered Exposition Park and is slowly making its way to its new home at the California Science Center.

By 12:15 p.m., the shuttle had turned left on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard onto Bill Robertson Way and was making its way pass the Olympic swim stadium. The giant orbiter stopped so it could prepare to maneuver around trees and light poles.

Once the shuttle reaches the Science Center, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will hold a news conference to formally announce its arrival. Thousands of spectators have already swarmed the park.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

At 10:45 a.m., the shuttle reached the intersection of Vermont Avenue near Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and thousands of people poured onto the streets. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!" Many snapped photos with cameras and cellphones.

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the center, as he walked in front of the 85-ton shuttle.

Given the size of the crowds that had come out to see the shuttle the last two days, Rudolph said, the total had to be in the "seven figures."

The 85-ton shuttle was delayed several times along the last leg of its three-day, 12-mile journey as it weaved its way around a number of obstacles, sometimes its wings coming within inches of trees and utility poles.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

— Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber at Exposition Park

Space Shuttle Endeavour: What's taking so long? [Video Discussion]

Space Shuttle Endeavour was getting closer to its new home Sunday afternoon -- more than 15 hours behind schedule.

So what took so long? Times reporter Kate Mather will answer that and other questions during a Google+ Hangout at 1 p.m. PST. You can ask questions on Twitter using the hashtag #asklatimes.

As of noon, Endeavour was within sight of Exposition Park as it continues to inch its way along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard toward its new home at the California Science Center.

By 10:45 a.m., the shuttle had passed Vermont Avenue and had come to a stop near Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Thousands of people -- some hawking T-shirts and hot dogs -- poured onto the boulevard. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!" Many snapped photos with their cameras and cellphones.

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, as he walked in front of the massive orbiter.

Given the size of the crowds that had come out to see the shuttle the last two days, Rudolph said, the total had to be in the "seven figures."

Space shuttle Endeavour within sight of Exposition Park

Endeavour is within sight of Exposition Park as it continues to inch its way along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard toward its new home at the California Science Center.

By 10:45 a.m., the shuttle had passed Vermont Avenue and had come to a stop near Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Thousands of people -- some hawking T-shirts and hot dogs -- poured onto the boulevard. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!" Many snapped photos with their cameras and cellphones.

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, as he walked in front of the massive orbiter.

Given the size of the crowds that had come out to see the shuttle the last two days, Rudolph said, the total had to be in the "seven figures."

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

The 85-ton shuttle was delayed several times along the last leg of its two-day, 12-mile journey as it weaved its way around a number of obstacles, sometimes its wings coming within inches of trees and utility poles.

By 8:30 a.m., Endeavour had meandered its way out of another tree-lined neighborhood and then had to navigate between a Ralph's grocery store and a C & C Caribbean Market at Western Avenue.

A row of people, who started to shed their sweaters, stood on top of a fence at Red Carpet Car Wash to see over the hoards of people between them and the shuttle.

After a 4 a.m. commute from Santa Clarita, Donna Rosen, 61, saw the shuttle in the dark and got to walk alongside it for a few hours.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

Seeing the orbiter was impressive, but also personal for Rosen. In the early '80s, when she worked in the governor's office in Texas, Rosen got to meet shuttle astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen.

"I didn't know it was on my bucket list, but it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen," Rosen said of the experience of seeing the shuttle.

Aliesha Nickerson, who lives in the neighborhood, drove down to a gas station on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Denker Avenue at 7 a.m. to grab a prime viewing spot. Still in her pajamas, she stood next to a gray minivan while her 10-year-old daughter, 8-year-old son -- both in their pajamas -- and her boyfriend, Tyree, sat on top of the vehicle.

A crowd spilled into the gas station's parking lot while awaiting Endeavour, which was a few blocks west.

Nickerson said she appreciated the effort to slow down in order to save as many pine trees along the boulevard as possible.

The effort "is great because they planted them for Martin Luther King. That's very thoughtful," she said.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

--Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber

Photo: Endeavour along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Credit: Andrew Khouri

Endeavour expected to arrive at Exposition Park in about two hours

The space shuttle Endeavour is now expected to arrive at Exposition Park in about two hours, officials said.

As the sun rose about 6:45 am, Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, said Endeavour should arrive at the park in roughly an hour or two.

Standing in the middle of the street, Rudolph expressed relief that Endeavour had finished its toughest stretch along tree-lined Marthin Luther King Jr. Boulevard without a scratch.

It feels "really good, really really good," he said with a chuckle.

By 6:30 a.m., hundreds of people were already gathering along the boulevard to catch a glimpse of the massive orbiter.

Janice Brown, 62, clad in slippers, a white bathroom robe and a shower cap, posed for a picture with Endeavour.

She and her daughter, Monyca, 42, scurried out of their nearby home when they heard choppers overhead.

They checked the news and were surprised to hear that they hadn't missed it after all.

"It said it'd be at the Science Center by 1:30," Janice said. "So I went to bed."

"This is amazing," Monyca said as her mom snapped a photo of her with Endeavour.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

After a quick visit, the duo planned to head home, finish primping and then head to church nearby.

The spacecraft's wings came within inches of the trees, forcing crews to do last-minute trims. In the predawn darkness, a crewman shined a flashlight on the tip of Endeavour's wingspan, which is so broad that it often hung over the boulevard’s sidewalks.

Hour by hour, the delays of Endeavour seemed to stretch even longer. On Saturday afternoon, the shuttle was only three hours behind its scheduled arrival of 9 p.m. that night. But by 2:30 a.m. Sunday, it was about eight hours behind schedule, making it possible that Endeavour would arrive well after Sunday breakfast plates had been cleared away.

The seemingly interminable delays wore on the police officers who were escorting the shuttle, who had now been working 18 or 19 hours. They appeared weary, with baggy eyes. A fleet of 12 LAPD cruisers sat behind the shuttle, as one fatigued officer riding shotgun rested his elbow on the window edge, leaning his head on his fist. 

A team of replacement officers, who were working their regular 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, were called in to provide relief at the last moment and were ordered to stay with Endeavour until it reached the California Science Center museum, its final retirement home.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

When it would actually arrive there, nobody knew for certain.

"We're used to stuff like this," said LAPD Sgt. Kate Stanwix, one of those brought in to relieve her colleagues. "What's the use of complaining?" 

George Martin, 55, was standing on the sidewalk on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when the shuttle passed Leimert Park shortly before 6 a.m.

“We waited all day and night, and it finally got here,” Martin said, as he gazed toward the shuttle coming down the boulevard.

Martin, who had staked out his spot at 11 a.m. on Saturday, said the wait was worth it.

“Oh, yeah, you're never going to get to see it again,” he said. “This is it.”

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

--Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber

Photo: Shuttle Endeavour on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Credit: Andrew Khouri

Endeavour clears Leimert Park and cluster of pine trees

The Space Shuttle Endeavour has cleared Leimert Park and a cluster of pine trees along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard that had slowed the final leg of its journey to its retirement home at the California Science Center.

"From then on it's pretty wide open," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the center. But Rudolph declined to give a time frame for Endeavour’s arrival at the Science Center.

The spacecraft's wings came within inches of the trees, forcing crews to do last-minute trims. In the predawn darkness, a crewman shined a flashlight on the tip of Endeavour's wingspan, which is so broad that it often hung over the boulevard’s sidewalks.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

Hour by hour, the delays of Endeavour seemed to stretch even longer. On Saturday afternoon, the shuttle was only three hours behind its scheduled arrival of 9 p.m. that night. But by 2:30 a.m. Sunday, it was about eight hours behind schedule, making it possible that Endeavour would arrive well after Sunday breakfast plates had been cleared away.

The seemingly interminable delays wore on the police officers who were escorting the shuttle, who had now been working 18 or 19 hours. They appeared weary, with baggy eyes. A fleet of 12 LAPD cruisers sat behind the shuttle, as one fatigued officer riding shotgun rested his elbow on the window edge, resting his head on his fist. 

A team of replacement officers, who were working their regular 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shifts, were called in to provide relief at the last moment and were ordered to stay with Endeavour until it reached the California Science Center museum.

When it would actually arrive, no one knew for certain.

"We're used to stuff like this," said LAPD Sgt. Kate Stanwix, one of those brought in to relieve her colleagues. "What's the use of complaining?" 

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

George Martin, 55, was standing on the sidewalk on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when the shuttle passed Leimert Park shortly before 6 a.m.

“We waited all day and night, and it finally got here,” Martin said, as he gazed toward the shuttle coming down the boulevard.

Martin, who had staked out his spot at 11 a.m. on Saturday, said the wait was worth it.

“Oh, yeah, you're never going to get to see it again,” he said. “This is it.”

Officials had known the path of Endeavour on the first stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would be difficult. They decided they wanted to protect the trees planted in honor of the slain civil rights leader, so they designed a complex series of zigzag, crab-like movements to pass Endeavour through the relatively narrow road.

At one point, crews lowered the shuttle just to avoid a leafy tree — and the spacecraft was able to sneak under a branch. Workers only had to snip off a bit of the bark.

"Amazing they can control this machinery to control this huge spaceship — how they can save the tree — that was like inches," said Eleuterio Rojas of Leimert Park, moments after the shuttle's right wing cleared a tree by about an inch or so in front of Audubon Middle School.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

--- Andrew Khouri, Frank Shyong and Marisa Gerber in Leimert Park

Photo: Space shuttle Endeavour in Leimert Park/Credit: Andrew Khouri

Where is Space Shuttle Endeavour? Way behind schedule

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is still hours from reaching its destination of the California Science Center, with some estimates now placing the shuttle there well after sunrise.

The pine trees along of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard proved to be a challenge for the space shuttle Endeavour, further slowing its already sluggish progress.

Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center declined to give a time frame for Endeavor's arrival at the facility.

"This is the toughest stretch right here," he said, referring to a tree filled stretch between the mall and Leimert Blvd.

"We're just taking it easy."

The spacecraft's wings came within inches of the trees, forcing crews to do last-minute trims. In the predawn darkness, a crewman shined a flashlight on the tip of Endeavour's wingspan, which is so broad that it often hung over the boulevard’s sidewalks.

Hour by hour, the delays of Endeavour seemed to stretch even longer. On Saturday afternoon, the shuttle was only three hours behind its scheduled arrival of 9 p.m. that night. But by 2:30 a.m., it was about eight hours behind schedule, making it possible that Endeavour would arrive well after Sunday breakfast plates had been cleared away.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

The seemingly interminable delays wore on the police officers who were escorting the shuttle, who had now been working 18 or 19 hours. They appeared weary, with baggy eyes. A fleet of 12 LAPD cruisers sat behind the shuttle, as one fatigued officer riding shotgun rested his elbow on the window edge, resting his head on his fist.  

A team of replacement officers, who were working their regular 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, were called in to provide relief at the last moment and were ordered to stay with Endeavour until it reached the California Science Center museum, its final retirement home.

When it would actually arrive there, nobody knew for certain.

"We're used to stuff like this," said LAPD Sgt. Kate Stanwix, one of those brought in to relieve her colleagues. "What's the use of complaining?" 

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

Officials had known the path of Endeavour on the first stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would be difficult. They decided they wanted to protect the trees planted in honor of the slain civil rights leader, so they designed a complex series of zigzag, crab-like movements to pass Endeavour through the relatively narrow road.

At one point, crews lowered the shuttle just to avoid a leafy tree -- and the spacecraft was able to sneak under a branch. Workers only had to snip off a bit of the bark.

"Amazing they can control this machinery to control this huge spaceship -- how they can save the tree -- that was like inches," said Eleuterio Rojas of Leimert Park, moments after the shuttle's right wing cleared a tree by about an inch or so in front of Audubon Middle School.

The meticulousness of the moving crews was working: the shuttle has been moving since Thursday night without suffering even a scratch.