The museum installed a 59-foot Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle on Nov. 18. (photo by Tabor Brewster)
On Nov. 18, the California Science Center celebrated an astronomical milestone in its ongoing construction of the new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. The West Coast’s largest museum and learning center dedicated to hands-on science installed three artifacts that will soon transport visitors to distant worlds – a Rocket Lab Electron launch vehicle, a solid rocket booster and a space shuttle engine. The three components will be displayed in the upcoming Kent Kresa Space Gallery.
“The Kent Kresa Space Gallery will invite guests to examine how machines that were built to explore space extend our reach and help transform our ideas about the universe, whether it’s with powerful telescopes that look at distant stars and galaxies, robots that go places and collect data, or spaceships designed to transport humans and protect them from lethal environments,” California Science Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rudolph said.
The gallery was named in honor of the president of the Kresa Family Foundation, a business leader in aeronautics and former president and CEO of Northrop Grumman whose donation made the display possible. Kresa spoke at the installation ceremony on Nov. 18 on the importance of science education.
“Southern California’s aerospace industry has been and continues to be at the forefront of innovation, dramatically improving our understanding of the world and the cosmos,” Kresa said. “From the space shuttle to the James Webb Space Telescope, we have learned so much from technologies that scientists and engineers have created here in the region. Not only will the Kent Kresa Space Gallery be a place to learn about the science involved in these great advancements, it will encourage the young people who visit to dream about future possibilities. My gift to the California Science Center is an investment in our youth, to inspire them to be part of scientific pursuits and fuel tomorrow’s discoveries.”
The electron launch vehicle, donated by aerospace manufacturer Rocket Lab, is a 59-foot rocket-powered machine used to transport satellites into orbit. Visitors to the science center will have the chance to marvel at the launch vehicle from every angle, as it will be suspended upright in the gallery surrounded by a staircase that provides access to different levels.
Budding astronauts and rocket scientists will also be able to walk through the inside of a solid rocket booster – an engine that helps a rocket overcome gravity and reach orbital speed – and can get an up-close look at the Space Shuttle Main Engine – a liquid-fuel cryogenic rocket engine that once helped astronauts reach the moon.
In addition to the space vehicle artifacts, the new wing will feature 100 exhibits, including an aviation gallery, space gallery and one of the most anticipated space shuttle displays in the world. Space Shuttle Endeavor will be displayed upright, in launch position, with observation decks surrounding it on different levels to allow visitors to view it from different angles in the 20-story tower.
An opening date for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center will be announced in 2026.
The California Science Center is free to the public and located at 700 Exposition Park Drive. For information and tickets, visit californiasciencecenter.org.
The new wing will include a walkthrough display of a solid rocket booster, left, and a space shuttle engine, right. (photo by Tabor Brewster)