Final Endeavor

A modified Boeing 747 carrying Space Shuttle Endeavor on its back flew over Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. September 19 to its final resting place in California. Air Force Reservists the 920th Rescue Wing are celebrating 50 years of manned space support for their service as guardians to the astronauts during all space shuttle missions. The Airmen were on hand to rescue the astronauts in case of an emergency and the astronauts had to bail out of the shuttle. The space shuttle program ended in July 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Cathleen Snow)

Final Endeavor

Published Sept. 19, 2012
By Capt. Cathleen Snow
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- After a 48-hour delay due to bad weather, NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour took off from Kennedy Space Center at sunrise for its ferry flight out west flying over Patrick Air Force Base. On its way.

As it piggybacked on a modified Boeing 747, Airmen from the 920th Rescue wing here had a chance to see it off for the last time before it headed for retirement.

Rescue Wing Airmen were a vital part of the space shuttle program serving as guardians of the astronauts during all space shuttle missions. They were tasked to rescue the astronauts if a contingency were to occur on the ground or upon takeoff.

NASA's plan is to get Endeavour to the California Science Center for public display.

"Today, I'm feeling a tremendous amount of pride. We're finally able to show this space shuttle off," said NASA astronaut Kay Hire, who orbited Earth aboard Endeavour 217 times during the STS-130 mission in February 2010 and was at the Shuttle Landing Facility to watch the attachment operation Sunday.

"It's been a great workhorse for us: 25 missions into space. It was such a significant part of building the International Space Station, also carrying science technology into space. And we get to share that with the world now," Hire said.

Editor's note: Information for this article was compiles from NASA news sources.