# Endeavour

> American Space Shuttle orbiter

**Wikidata**: [Q182508](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q182508)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Endeavour)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/endeavour

## Summary
Endeavour is an American Space Shuttle orbiter (also called Space Shuttle Endeavour or OV-105) that flew as part of NASA's Space Shuttle program. Built by Rockwell International, Endeavour flew its maiden mission STS-49 on 1992-05-07, completed 4,671 orbits, and is permanently exhibited at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

## Key Facts
- Endeavour is an instance of a Space Shuttle orbiter and an exhibit; its common names include Space Shuttle Endeavour, OV-105, and Orbital Vehicle 105.  
- Manufacturer: Rockwell International; contract awarding noted 1987-07-31 and construction at Air Force Plant 42 from 1987-09-28 to 1990-07-06.  
- First flight (maiden flight): STS-49 on 1992-05-07.  
- Last flight: STS-134 on 2011-05-16.  
- Participated in 25 space missions (part_of: space mission, count 25).  
- Orbits completed: 4,671. Total event distance flown: 197,761,262 kilometres.  
- Total mission duration (aggregate): 25,586,287 seconds (applies to space missions).  
- Dimensions: length 37.237 metres; height 17.86 metres; wingspan 23.79 metres.  
- Mass: recorded values include 70,329.5 kilograms (rollout criterion) and a commonly cited value of 78,000 kilograms (preferred, qualifier RS-25).  
- Ownership and location: owned by NASA from 1991 until title transfer on 2011-10-11; owned by California Science Center from 2011-10-11 and on permanent exhibition there starting 2012-10-30. Located in Los Angeles; exhibit coordinates lat 34.01620685493669, lon -118.28742464945523.  
- Named after HMS Endeavour.  
- Dockings/deployments: deployed 3 artificial satellites, docked once with Mir and 12 times with the International Space Station.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Endeavour?
A: Endeavour is an American Space Shuttle orbiter (OV-105) that flew as part of NASA's Space Shuttle program and is now a museum exhibit at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

### Q: When did Endeavour first and last fly?
A: Endeavour's maiden flight was STS-49 on 1992-05-07; its final flight was STS-134 on 2011-05-16.

### Q: How many missions and orbits did Endeavour complete?
A: Endeavour flew 25 space missions and completed 4,671 orbits, covering about 197,761,262 kilometres in mission distance.

### Q: Who built Endeavour and who owns it now?
A: Endeavour was manufactured by Rockwell International. NASA owned it from its delivery in 1991 until title transfer on 2011-10-11; the California Science Center has owned and exhibited it since 2011–2012.

## Why It Matters
Endeavour served as one of NASA's reusable crewed orbiters, contributing directly to human spaceflight operations, orbital satellite deployments, and station assembly and servicing. Over 25 missions it logged thousands of orbits and hundreds of millions of kilometres, enabling tasks such as International Space Station assembly and docking operations (12 dockings with the ISS and one with Mir). As a later-generation orbiter built and delivered in the early 1990s, Endeavour extended the operational life and capability of the Space Shuttle fleet through the 1990s and 2000s. Its transfer to the California Science Center and permanent exhibition preserves an intact example of a crewed orbital vehicle for public education, heritage, and STEM outreach. Endeavour therefore functions both as a key operational artifact of late 20th / early 21st century spaceflight and as a tangible educational resource that connects the public to human spaceflight history.

## Notable For
- Maiden flight STS-49 on 1992-05-07 and final flight STS-134 on 2011-05-16, spanning the orbiter's active operational life.  
- Flew 25 missions, completed 4,671 orbits and approximately 197,761,262 km of mission distance.  
- Built by Rockwell International with construction at Air Force Plant 42; rollout 1991-04-25 and delivery to Kennedy Space Center on 1991-05-07.  
- Transferred into museum collection: title transferred from NASA to the California Science Center on 2011-10-11; permanent exhibit opened 2012-10-30.  
- Named after the historic ship HMS Endeavour.

## Body

### Design and technical specifications
- Type: Space Shuttle orbiter (reusable spacecraft component of the Space Shuttle system).  
- Length: 37.237 metres.  
- Height: 17.86 metres.  
- Wingspan (orbiter payload bay doors open measurement used as “wingspan”): 23.79 metres.  
- Mass: reported values include 70,329.5 kg (rollout criterion) and 78,000 kg (preferred figure, qualifier RS-25).  
- Serial/identifiers and names: commonly referred to as OV-105, Space Shuttle Endeavour, Orbital Vehicle 105, and other multilingual aliases.

### Construction, delivery, and early milestones
- Significant contract awarding to Rockwell International: 1987-07-31.  
- Location of manufacture and assembly: Air Force Plant 42 (launch of construction 1987-09-28; construction noted complete by 1990-07-06).  
- Rollout: 1991-04-25.  
- Delivery to Kennedy Space Center: point in time recorded as 1991-05-07.  
- Maiden flight: STS-49 on 1992-05-07.

### Operational history and missions
- Total missions: 25 space missions.  
- Dockings and deployments: deployed three artificial satellites; docked once with Mir; docked 12 times with the International Space Station.  
- Orbits completed: 4,671.  
- Aggregate mission duration: 25,586,287 seconds (applies to space missions).  
- Total event distance: 197,761,262 kilometres.  
- Notable flights: STS-49 (maiden), STS-134 (last flight).

### Ownership, retirement, and exhibition
- Operator during service: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  
- Ownership timeline: NASA owned Endeavour from delivery (1991) until title transfer on 2011-10-11. Title transferred to the California Science Center on 2011-10-11.  
- Collection and exhibit: California Science Center collection with exhibit open starting 2012-10-30. Exhibit coordinates: lat 34.01620685493669, lon -118.28742464945523 (located in Los Angeles).

### Identifiers and documentation
- Named after: HMS Endeavour.  
- Described at (official info): http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/endeavour-info.html.  
- Commons category: Space Shuttle Endeavour.  
- Wikipedia title: Space Shuttle Endeavour.  
- Other IDs: GND 4531440-8; Freebase /m/06_v4; SNAC ARK w6wq5kzm; Library of Congress authority no93005807.

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## References

1. [NASA Transfers Endeavour Title To California Science Center. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 2011](http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/oct/HQ_11-343_Endeavour_CSC.html)
2. [Source](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-101411a.html)
3. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/566250main_SHUTTLE%20ERA%20FACTS_040412.pdf)
4. [Source](https://www.latimes.com/business/la-xpm-2011-jul-05-la-fi-shuttle-legacy-20110705-story.html)
5. [Source](https://californiasciencecenter.org/press-room/pressrelease/2012-10-30/space-shuttle-endeavour-grand-opening-california-science-center)
6. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
7. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
8. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/endeavour-info.html)
9. [Source](https://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/features/000414overhaul/birthplace.html)
10. [Source](https://www.space.com/12173-nasa-space-shuttles-miles-flown.html)
11. BBC Things
12. [Source](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Space_Shuttle/Shuttle_technical_facts)
13. [Source](http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/home/flightdata/statistics.html#ORBITERSTATS)
14. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/1.pdf)
15. [Source](http://www.astronautix.com/e/endeavour.html)
16. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html)
17. Quora
18. [Space Shuttle Endeavour | National Aeronautics and Space Administration Wiki | Fandom](https://nasa.fandom.com/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Endeavour)
19. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
20. KBpedia