Space Shuttle Endeavour – Air and Space Center – Samuel Oschin – Los Angeles

Air and Space Center – Samuel Oschin – Los Angeles

When I saw this wonder, I felt again like a 5 year old boy, I thought, OMG a rocket, a space vehicle, a real space craft !! it was actually orbiting in space…I stood still for a few minutes speachless staring at this huge device, imagining floating astronauts, stars, space…exploration..!… This series, Endeavour, is mixed with the immense emotion that I felt when seeing this with my own eyes. For those who would like to know if space is only scifi or pure Hollywood invention, I can tell you, all doubts will drop once you see a real space ship !! …Priceless….

One might ask why, as an architecture and landscaper photographer, I am interested in talking about a spaceship. I would answer, well thank you for asking ! For several reasons,  first of all because it is one of my passions, I can’t help it! I was really astonished to see one from real . It is a huge device, an exceptional technological machine.

It is a confined space element meant to host and protect human and living beings, just as a building would do, It is meant to interact with the environment, insulate and keep structural integrity during its descent towards earth. It is also a vehicle, with shape and design that serves specific functions.  I see all these analogies with architectural eyes just as i would see forarchitectural, construction or industrial photography.

As I continued observing this huge space vehicle I became am astonished by all the apparent imperfections and burnt areas. It goes through a lot of stress during reentry in atmosphere.

Atmospheric reentry speed is at the insane velocity of Mach 25!! 17.500 mph !! (a military jet does around Mach 2) and temperature arises up to 1650 celcius – 3000 farenheit.
Atmospheric particles collide against the shuttle surface creating a very hot plasma (super hot gas) mainly below the wings, but flares go all around….so what we see here is a baked shuttle 🙂 I could stare at it for hours..

My eyes fell onto interesting parts of the Space Shuttle main engine, then I stared quite a while at the nozzels located on the front fuselage area (nose). I was hypnoytized by the geometry of these odd boosters, each one intersecting the outer later in a different way. These are the “foward reaction control system”.

I ended up on the rear section of the spacecraft, which revealed what you can see in the last photo. Those are three HUGE nozzels are the Space Shuttle main Engine, specifically Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25. They are enourmous, you can actually stand inside them.

Again, I can tell you I stood there quite a long time observing all the tiny devices, shapes, and odd intersections. 

I hope you can enjoy as I did to see this beauty through my eyes. I really do suggest to go and visit the installation at the Air and Space Center – Samuel Oschin in Los Angeles, it really is worth it !