Space Shuttle Endeavour & Booster Rockets
Space Shuttle Endeavour (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-105) is a retired orbiterfrom NASA‘s Space Shuttle program and the fifth and final operational Shuttle built. It embarked on its first mission, STS-49, in May 1992 and its 25th and final mission, STS-134, in May 2011. STS-134 was expected to be the final mission of the Space Shuttle program, but with the authorization of STS-135 by the United States Congress, Atlantis became the last shuttle to fly.
The United States Congress approved the construction of Endeavour in 1987 to replace the Space Shuttle Challenger, which was destroyed in 1986.
NASA chose, on cost grounds, to build much of Endeavour from spare parts rather than refitting the Space Shuttle Enterprise, and used structural spares built during the construction of Discovery and Atlantis in its assembly.
The space shuttle will soon be on display in the upcoming Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center at the California Science Center.
