Though theories involving space travel had been proposed since the beginning of the twentieth century, the Space Age officially began when the Soviet Union successfully launched the first unmanned satellite Sputnik 1 into orbit on Octo(5, 6). Amidst this all-out competition, space exploration emerged as the new arena for both superpowers to demonstrate their respective technological supremacy and guard themselves against rising nuclear threat (4). The United States and the Soviet Union each sought to prove the superiority of its own scientific achievements, athletic potential, military might, and, by extension, social-political system. For decades, this enormous political and ideological rivalry remained the world’s predominant source of tension and alarm. The conclusion of World War II marked the beginning of a new era in global conflict: the Cold War. The recent retirement of its space shuttle fleet and President Obama’s cancellation of the Bush-approved Constellation Program have forced NASA to direct the responsibility of low orbital launches to the private sector as it refocuses its attention toward developing a space transportation vehicle capable of sending astronauts deeper into space than man has ever gone before (3). The proliferation of these space programs has shed light on many of the mysteries of the universe, but as more of these programs catch up to one another in terms of spacefaring capabilities, the United States again faces significant competition as it strives to reorient its goals and stay ahead of international competition. Dozens of space agencies have sprung up across the globe since the conclusion of the Space Race, and each has come to pursue its own agenda in aerospace research and cosmic exploration (2). Endeavor’s last ride heralded the end of the Space Shuttle Age, as well as NASA’s shift toward a new direction in space exploration.Īlthough space programs originated as part of the bitter Cold War technological rivalry between the Soviet Union and United States, the roles of these programs have expanded far beyond political demonstrations of military and technological prowess. The shuttle, perched on top of a Boeing 747, left Edwards Air Force Base early morning en route to its permanent resting place at the California Science Center (1).
Camera-holding fans could be spotted atop buildings and bridges, trying to get a glimpse of the space shuttle Endeavour in mid-flight.
The shuttle consists of a spaceplane for orbit and re-entry, fueled by an expendable liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen tank, with reusable strap-on solid booster rockets.įriday September 21st, 2012 was an exciting day for many Californian aerospace enthusiasts. The Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member STS-120 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station.
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