Endeavour Makes Final Journey With Bragg

By Malcolm Ramsay

From Issue 3, 2024 of Breakbulk Magazine.

(5-min read)


In the annals of aerospace history, few spacecraft have the same iconic status as the shuttle Endeavour. First launched in 1992, the shuttle served NASA for nearly 20 years and completed 25 missions before being retired in 2011. Its final voyage was not through the cosmos, however, but across Exposition Park in Los Angeles, as part of a monumental breakbulk move to deliver the vessel to the California Space Center.

An essential part of this project was heavy-lift specialist Bragg Companies which coordinated the complex move to the final site in South Central Los Angeles. Dennis Jenkins, project director at the space center, explains: “We wanted a single contract for both the move and lift to ensure seamless coordination between the operations. The Foundation elected Bragg after an extensive competitive search that included each bidder producing preliminary move and lift plans.”

A pre-construction contract for the project was signed in early 2022, with preparatory work lasting nearly two years. During this phase, the project team worked diligently to ensure that all aspects were carefully coordinated and in early 2024 the final set of the Endeavour was completed, marking the end of construction and the beginning of a new chapter for the spacecraft.

President and CEO of Bragg Companies, Scott Bragg reflected on the effort involved, noting that “when a job is as high-profile as this and has such a high level of public interest, safety and execution must be at their highest level. For Bragg, this is how we operate on all of our jobs. We are glad to be part of a historic project here in our home of Southern California.”

This local insight proved vital, with Jenkins noting that a key reason for selecting Bragg for the project was their deep knowledge of local logistics.


Real-life Launch Position

The historical significance of the cargo demanded a careful approach, with every stage requiring meticulous planning and delicate handling. Justin Lambert, general manager at Bragg Companies, explains: “The scope was to stack all real flight certified components of the Endeavour to simulate a real- life ‘launch position’ in a new building called the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center.”

This new building is the latest stage of a phased expansion of the science center and as such was not fully built when the project took place. The team therefore had to deliver all flight components and position in a ‘stacked’ configuration, with the remainder of the building to be erected around the modeled launch.

The process commenced with the transport of the AFT Skirts and Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) from Mojave, California, to the job site in Los Angeles. For both of these moves, the team used an 825-ton capacity Liebherr 1750/2 crawler crane, while the SRMs required an additional 190-ton Liebherr LTM-1160 hydraulic crane. Once on-site, these components were lifted and set into place, laying the groundwork for subsequent phases.

The next stage focused on the External Tank (ET), requiring meticulous preparation to ensure smooth transportation. Again, the Liebherr 1750/2 and Liebherr LTM- 1160 were deployed. A large dirt ramp was constructed in anticipation of the tank’s journey down State Drive to its final destination.

Utilizing an Enerpac 110 Ton Cube Jack System, the ET was carefully jacked up before being relocated using Self- Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs). This intricate process ensured the safe and precise positioning of the tank.

The culmination of the move centered on the relocation of the Endeavour itself, which required the use of three cranes: the Liebherr 1750/2 and Liebherr LTM-1160, as well as a 500-ton Liebherr LTM-1400 hydraulic crane. This involved a series of meticulous steps, including the preparation of a large ramp for the shuttle’s removal from the California Science Center Pavilion Building. After being carefully detached from its existing Base Isolators, the shuttle was raised to the proper elevation using the Enerpac jack system.


Specialized Frames

The shuttle was then lifted over 10 feet using the Enerpac system to facilitate the placement of specialized transportation frames before embarking on its final journey to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center building, where it was lifted, upended and set into place using the Liebherr 1750 crawler crane.

Bragg demonstrated its engineering expertise by custom designing and fabricating the two large lifting frames specifically tailored to the Endeavour shuttle. The frames, attached to the saddles already affixed to the shuttle, enabled Bragg to safely execute the jacking sequence while maintaining absolute control and ensuring level alignment both horizontally and longitudinally.

“Once the unit was clear and on State Drive, it was then jacked back down off the Transportation Frames using the Enerpac 110 Ton Cube Jack System and transported down the remaining portion of State Drive on our company owned SPMTs in preparation for rigging and final set,” Lambert explains.

Across all the moves a variety of rigging gear was used, one notable component being a large yellow vertical sling, refurbished by Bragg Companies in collaboration with the California Science Center Foundation. This specialized sling, the same one used for 30 years of flight operations at the Kennedy Space Center, was instrumental in the lifting, upending, and precise positioning of the Endeavour, showcasing the attention to detail and commitment to historical accuracy.

In addition to the vertical sling, the relocation effort benefited from the utilization of a 250-ton Hydra-set, on loan from NASA for this historic event. This sophisticated rigging equipment facilitated the setting of Endeavour with remarkable precision, allowing for incremental vertical and rotational movements via separate controls of the crane. This level of control was essential in achieving the tight tolerance alignment of the shuttle’s mating points, underscoring Bragg’s dedication to seamless integration.

“Some of the hardware had been transferred from NASA to the Foundation while other pieces were on loan from NASA,” Jenkins adds. “Science Center consultants (former space shuttle processing personnel) were responsible for the actual rigging to the flight vehicles and for defining the technical specifications for theme and lift operations, with Bragg handling the actual transport and lift under the direction of the Foundation Move Director.”


Overcoming Challenges

Finally, Bragg leveraged its own 200-ton J&R Engineering Hydraulic Power Rotator to facilitate the precise positioning of the External Tank (ET) between the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) and the scaffold. This compact yet powerful rotator enabled Bragg to incrementally rotate the ET tank into position, further enhancing the tight tolerance alignment of the mating points.

Overcoming challenges was integral to the project’s success and Lambert reflected on the most daunting aspects of the installation, citing the intricate rigging required for attaching the ET and Endeavour as particularly difficult. “Most challenging part of the stack was attaching the ET and the Endeavour,” Lambert noted, highlighting the tight tolerances and delicate maneuvering required for a successful installation.

As the shuttle Endeavour takes its place in the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, it serves not only as a symbol of human ingenuity and exploration but also stands as a testament to the breakbulk achievements of Bragg Companies, the California Science Center, and all involved, inspiring future generations to reach new heights.

“This high-profile job of hauling the Endeavour was a great honor,” concluded Scott Bragg.


Bragg Companies will be exhibiting at Breakbulk Americas 2024.

PHOTOS CREDIT: Bragg Companies