NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour Soars Over Central Coast

Cross-country flyover marks the end of NASA's shuttle program; Noozhawk readers capture the moment in photos

NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour, strapped to the back of a Boeing 747, is seen flying over Goleta on Friday morning. (Sue Cook photo)

By Giana Magnoli, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @magnoli | updated logo | Published on 09.21.2012 12:08 p.m.

The NASA space shuttle Endeavour flew over the Central Coast on Friday morning during the retired shuttle’s flyover across the country.

The shuttle, strapped to the back of a modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, later flew over landmarks in Southern California before landing at Los Angeles International Airport and being driven through Inglewood and Los Angeles to the California Science Center.

Endeavour’s journey represents the end of NASA’s shuttle program.

Send your photos of the flyover to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.

The Endeavour made two fly-bys over downtown Sacramento on Friday. This picture was taken from the steps of the Capitol. (Bruce Thomas photo via iPad)

The space shuttle Endeavour and its carrier climb from Vandenberg Air Force Base toward Los Angeles at 11:25 a.m. Sept. 21, 2012, on its last flight. This photo was taken from Ocean Avenue west of Lompoc (34° 39’ 41.41” -120° 32’ 49.71”). The plane is about 5 miles away with hazy conditions. (Ronald Williams photo)

The Endeavour over Goleta, without its escorts. (Shelby Sim photo)

The space shuttle Endeavour flies over Summerland on Friday morning. (Gary Lambert / Noozhawk photo)

Space shuttle Endeavour flies past Carpinteria on Friday. (Sally Edmondson-Trost photo)

The space shuttle Endeavour over Sacramento. (Susan Cook photo)

Comments

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» AN50 on 09.21.12 @ 04:02 PM

My heart aches as I lament. As the shuttle is moth balled so is the US heavy lift capability, another faux pas of the Obama administration. Now we have to buy launch capacity from other countries, Russia no less. What a disgrace. Neil is dead and so is the spirit that built a space program that landed him on the moon.

Meanwhile we grouse and grumble about who is going to gimmie this benefit or that.

Where is my country? The one that built the shuttle and put a man on the moon and dared to dream big? Terrorists knock down two soaring icons of our engineering prowess and it takes us 15 years to replace them with a weak substitute. I don’t get it. We spend more time either trying to screw others out of their money whether a banker or the tax man or drowning ourselves in crass entertainment. This is what we have become?

I really thought we would be living on the moon by now and exploring Mars. It’s not impossible you know. We just have to have the will to do it. But being adult children complaining we don’t get enough crap at someone else’s expense has become our motto now.

Good bye space shuttle, and good bye to the greatest country ever born.

» noleta res on 09.22.12 @ 08:35 AM

I’m really sad I wasn’t paying attention to the skies yesterday and I missed this once-in-a-lifetime event. I read that astronaut Mark Kelly requested a flyover of his home in Tuscon and he and his wife Gabby Giffords were able to see it one last time. Very inspiring.
Do not despair, Mr Fifty, there will be more amazing space travel.

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NASA Space Shuttle Endeavour Soars Over Central Coast

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