Southern California’s significant contributions to aviation and space exploration are being celebrated with the opening of the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, a $450 million expansion of the California Science Center. The 200,000-square-foot facility officially opened to the public on November 13, highlighting the region’s historical and ongoing role in aerospace innovation.
By the end of World War II, Southern California was home to about two-thirds of the nation’s aircraft manufacturers and subsequently played a central role in the development of iconic space missions. The area’s aerospace legacy includes the Apollo moon missions and the space shuttles Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge continues to manage many of NASA’s robotic space endeavors, while private companies such as SpaceX design and build their rockets and spacecraft in the region.
The centerpiece of the new Oschin Center is the space shuttle Endeavour, displayed upright with its solid rocket boosters and external fuel tank in a launch-ready configuration for the first time. Positioned within a 20-story-tall gallery designed by ZGF Architects, the shuttle is anchored securely to a subterranean concrete pad. The surrounding structure employs a steel diagrid framework that allows unobstructed views of the orbiter while evoking the look of a constellation. This architectural approach integrates thousands of uniquely shaped panels that echo the shuttle’s heat-shield tiles.
Visitors entering the gallery first encounter an immersive multimedia presentation by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, which uses archival footage and sound to recreate the atmosphere of a shuttle launch. As the film culminates, the space shuttle Endeavour is gradually revealed in a dramatic, light-filled display that emphasizes its scale and technological complexity.
The exhibit offers multiple vantage points for observing the orbiter, including a central terrace and a 16-story-high launch tower that replicates the shuttle’s original launch gantry. Elevators and viewing platforms provide close-up views of the shuttle’s nose, cargo bay, and external tank, which was sourced from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. The external tank is described as the last of its kind, featuring a fluted, column-like surface with varied textures and coloration.
Beyond the main display, the center includes detailed exhibits such as a flight deck replica containing more than 1,000 controls and a simulator that allows visitors to experience zero-gravity movement aboard the International Space Station. Walls lined with graphics trace the history of all 135 shuttle missions, contextualizing Endeavour’s place within NASA’s broader space program.
The Oschin Center offers an engaging blend of education and entertainment, combining high-tech presentations with a sense of historical reverence. It serves not only as a tribute to Southern California’s aerospace industry but also as a reminder of the shuttle program’s role in inspiring generations with the promise of space exploration.