Final Mission

[Updated 10/14]

After flying cross-country atop a specially modified Boeing 747, Space Shuttle Endeavor makes its way slowly through the streets of Los Angeles on its final journey from Los Angeles International Airport to the California Science Center where it will be on permanent exhibit.

Shuttle Endeavor visits the donut shop

Endeavor waits patiently

Come a little closer

Look! A spaceship coming down the street!

Excitement builds as this bizarre procession approaches

Endeavor

Up close and personal

Vertical Stabilizer
OMS Pod
Wing Leading Edge

Engine cones

... and there it goes

Squeezing 'round the bend

Safely ensconced in a visitor pavilion at the California Science Center

On the nosie!

Up close and personal
Vertical stabilizer towers over the main engine cluster
Starboard OMS pod with RCS nozzles visible as well

A space shuttle main engine on display for close inspection

Spring in Southern California

Rainfall far in excess of seasonal norms has hillsides in Southern California blooming. Here are a few images from a short hike in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Rolling Hills

Golden brush carpets these Southern California rolling hills like a wrinkled, fuzzy blanket.

After the Fire

While the Pacific Northwest was drowning in the river runoff from a deluge of warm rain and the resulting snow melt, Southern California was undergoing Chapter 2 of its fall fire season. They sure could have used some of that rain.


Fire swept through here, burning this tree and everything around it.


A wider view.


Remains of a motorcycle that was parked outside a gated mobile home park.


Peering over the wall at what's left of the mobile home park.
Click to enlarge.


A closer view.
Click to enlarge.

Smoky Mountains

Smoke fills the valleys and hides the mountains of Southern California as over 800 fires burn in the state.

By popular demand, information about the state's wildfire situation


Statewide NASA-MODIS image (click to enlarge)

Statewide Incident Information [CalFire]

California Firestorm: View From Above

Southern California was burning. It is certainly the most populated area currently affected, but there are forest and brush fires all the way up through Oregon. Smoke is everywhere.

Incident information

NASA MODIS/EOS Satellite Imagery
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 21st) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 22nd) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 22nd) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 23rd) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 23rd) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 24th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 24th) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 25th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 25th) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 26th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 26th) [NASA]
Cloud cover on the 27th provided a less than useful satellite view.
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 28th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 28th) [NASA]
With these images, it appears the Southern California firestorm is pretty much concluded.


A Canadair / Bombardier CL-415 SuperScooper [Wikipedia] fire fighting aircraft landing at Van Nuys Airport to refuel.


Poking above the smoke.


A clear view down to a burn area somewhere north of the San Fernando Valley and west of Interstate 5.
Click to enlarge - some flames can actually be discerned even from this altitude and at this reduced resolution.


Another burn area seen from a bit higher.


Yet more active burns.


Looking toward the coast, the smoke is very evident.


Considerably further north and still smoky.


Another fire up near Fresno.


Plume from a fire near Mt. Shasta.


Klamath Lake with Mt. Loughlin looming in the background. Smoke from many fires visible all around.


Crater Lake. More fires visible in the foreground and the background.

Southern California Firestorm: Ground Truth

Beginning on October 21, fierce winds fanned the flames of at least 11 large fires in Southern California. After a long dry spell there was plenty of fuel for the fires to consume. As of this posting, the winds continue to blow and the flames continue to spread, threatening many residential areas. As of this writing, some homes have already been lost but many more are in danger.

Incident information

NASA MODIS/EOS Satellite Imagery


Smoke billows from the Castaic fire; the sun filters through.


A wide view over the lake.


A closer view.


Smoke starting to fill valleys and canyons in the Santa Clarita area.


Smoke from the Agua Dulce fire seen from highway 14 looking across Vasquez Rocks County Park.


The view from the slanted rocks in the previous image.


Amidst the chaos, a tranquil scene.


Down the road, flames can be seen on the hillside.


A little closer, it becomes apparent just how huge this one fire is. And how close to neighborhoods.


Helicopters of various descriptions work to protect homes and fight the fire.


A Sikorsky Sky Crane rigged with water dropping tank.


Closer up under a tank-equipped chopper.


Off to the fire they go.


The winds are blowing so strongly that it's difficult to stand; harder still to hold the camera steady. Even on a tripod or braced against a log fencepost, with image stabilization at 1600 ISO, it's hard not to get some image blur. The effect of these gusts on the fire is at once amazing and frightening.