NASA transfers Endeavour's ownership to Californian museum

U.S. space agency NASA on Tuesday handed over the ownership of retired space shuttle Endeavour to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, where it will go on permanent display. "NASA is pleased to share this wonderful orbiter with the California Science Center to help inspire a new generation of explorers," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "The next chapter in space exploration begins now, and we're standing on the shoulders of the men and women of the shuttle program to reach farther into the solar system," he said. According to NASA, Endeavour is expected to arrive at Los Angeles International Airport next year and then be towed through the streets to its new home in California, the state where it was built more than 20 years ago. "Endeavour now will begin its new mission to stimulate an interest in science and engineering in future generations at the science center," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, during a ceremony at the museum. Endeavour, which flew its final voyage in May 2011, had traveled 115 million miles (184 million km) during 25 flights and carried 139 people into orbit before NASA retired the space shuttle fleet in July. At the center, the retired orbiter will be housed horizontally at first until a permanent exhibit is built. Its final position will be vertical, just as if it were ready to launch. The value of the space shuttle is estimated at 2 billion U.S. dollars. And the total cost of transportation, as well as building a new wing at the museum, is expected to reach 200 million dollars. The logistics and funds are still being hammered out. The museum has already received 20 million dollars in promised donations, according to ABC. Endeavour was built from 1987 to 1991 to replace the destroyed Challenger shuttle, which exploded 73 seconds after its takeoff on Jan. 28, 1986. The California Science Center is one of the four locations across the country selected to display NASA's retired space shuttle vehicles. Museums in suburban Washington, D.C., Florida and New York will receive the remaining shuttles and a prototype vehicle.