One final endeavour for space shuttle's fuel tank

  • 23/05/2016
The space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank ET-94 makes its way to the California Science Center in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California (Reuters)
The space shuttle Endeavour's external fuel tank ET-94 makes its way to the California Science Center in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, California (Reuters)

A huge fuel tank from the space shuttle programme has completed an epic journey in Los Angeles.

Crews cut no corners in relocating the massive space shuttle fuel tank -- the size of half a football field -- across 26 kilometres of Los Angeles.

Onlookers took selfies and watched from rooftops as the enormous tank rolled by.

It took months to choreograph the move. Police closed streets. Public works altered traffic lights and utility wires to make way for the 30,000kg tank as it skirted by trees, travelling at just 8km/h.

"I can't wait to see it stack in vertical in the museum," says astronaut Charlie Precourt. "It's going to blow people away."

The fuel tank was shipped from New Orleans to California through the Panama Canal. It will eventually be displayed inside the California Space Center in full launch position, attached to two rocket boosters and the space shuttle Endeavour, which hitched a ride to Los Angeles on top of a Boeing 747 in 2012.

The tank, known as ET-94 was built to propel Endeavour into space, but NASA phased out the shuttle programme before it could launch.  Astronaut Kay Hire flew on Endeavour and hopes seeing it will inspire young minds.

"Think about taking us beyond where we have been in space exploration and taking the next step -- back to the moon, on to Mars."

ET-94 will be on display outside the Science Center until it's moved indoors and joined with Endeavour in 2019.

CBS News