If you happened to hear an extremely loud jet engine somewhere in the ten o’clock hour on September 21st, then you heard history. After 25 missions and 123 million miles, Space Shuttle Endeavour is officially retired. Of course, it went out in the most stylish way possible: a lap across California, where it graced some of the states’ most famed landmarks. Because Berkeley is the most fantastic institution for higher learning, I think we can all agree that Endeavour’s most important (and downright awesome) stop was above our beloved campus. With a literal blast of the engine, the Boeing 747 that acted as an airborne tow-truck roared over the UC Berkeley campus, sending people running outside to witness the last time Endeavour would take flight. The Endeavour then proceeded to cross the Golden Gate Bridge and fly over Alcatraz before continuing down the coast. Finally, the aircrafts landed in Los Angeles, stopping traffic on major freeways so that onlookers could gawk at the spectacle. The best part? If you missed it, Endeavour will now be on permanent display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
Image Credit:
Robin Polverini, http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4323142964136set=a.4323142924135….
Joel Thai http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151055370968683set=a.1015105537…