Endeavour's Final Flight

After touring California on its final trip, the space shuttle Endeavour greets its new neighbors in Los Angeles before landing at LAX.

The space shuttle ferry flight climbs out over the Mojave Desert. NASA/Jim Ross

Endeavour enters the Los Angeles basin over Malibu before its extensive tour over landmarks such as the Getty Center, Griffith Park Observatory and the downtown area.

Several high rise buildings open up their rooftops, allowing people to get a closer look at the piggy back flight.

A low approach at LAX gave a large crowd a close look at the space shuttle in flight. NASA/Bill Ingalls

Two of NASA's F/A-18 chase planes support the historical flight. Jim Bryant

People line the streets to get a good look at Endeavor's final minutes in the skies. NASA/Matt Hedges

Pilots Jeff Moultrie and Bill Rieke make a picture perfect landing at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), concluding Endeavour's last flight. NASA/Bill Ingalls

The total weight of the space shuttle and the NASA 905 Boeing 747 is right around 475,000 pounds, making a smooth landing particularly important. Jim Bryant

Visitors to the California Science Center in downtown Los Angeles will be able to get an up close and personal look at Endeavour after October 30, 2012. Jim Bryant

Since 1977, NASA 905 has conducted shuttle ferry flights and logos of its missions are painted on the side of the massive fuselage. The last one represents the shuttle flights of Discovery, Enterprise and Endeavour. Jim Bryant

Now begins the task of disassembling the space shuttle from the 747 before Endeavour's last journey begins through the streets of Los Angeles. Jim Bryant

Photos

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