California Science Center Unveils Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center

The 200,000-square-foot expansion nearly doubles the Science Center’s exhibit space, adding 100 aerospace artifacts, 100 hands-on exhibits, and a vertical space shuttle display accessible via a 140-foot elevator ride.

• •The California Science Center unveiled the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center ahead of its Nov. 13 public opening.
• •The expansion adds 200,000 square feet, nearly doubling the facility's exhibit space.
• •Space shuttle Endeavour is displayed vertically in a 20-story launch configuration with authentic solid rocket boosters and an external tank.
• •The expansion includes 100 aerospace artifacts and 100 hands-on exhibits.
• •The shuttle gallery rises nearly 200 feet and features a 140-foot elevator ride to a glass-floor observation platform.
• •Interactive exhibits include a shuttle landing simulator, a replica flight deck, and a 45-foot atmospheric return slide.
• •The facility contains three multilevel galleries: the Samuel Oschin Shuttle Gallery, the Korean Air Aviation Gallery, and the Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
• •The aviation gallery features more than a dozen aircraft, a part of a Korean Air Boeing 747, and a five-minute simulated flight from Los Angeles to Seoul.
• •The space gallery includes the Mercury-Redstone 2 capsule, Gemini 11 capsule, Apollo-Soyuz Command Module, and robotic exploration models developed with NASA's JPL.
• •General admission to the Science Center is free, but timed reservations are strongly encouraged and carry a $4 service fee.
• •The opening celebration on Nov. 13 will include about 30 astronauts, including all six crew members from mission STS-134.
• •The Science Center's IMAX Theater will screen four space-themed films on opening day.