New gallery exhibit highlights artifacts planned for the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center

The California Science Center opened its new Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center Work in Progress Gallery. The unique exhibition offers visitors an inside look at the remarkable artifacts and displays planned for the new 200,000-square-foot Air and Space Center.

"This is just a very small glimpse of the whole building. It's about more than halfway completed now," said California Science Center President and CEO Jeff Rudolph. "It's a huge addition to the California Science Center and almost doubling our amount of exhibit space."

The space shuttle Endeavour is the only space shuttle in the world positioned in a vertical ready-to-launch stance and will be the focal point of the center. However, the gallery reveals that there will be much more to see beyond the shuttle.

"The Dragon cargo spacecraft went to the International Space Station three times. So each time it would carry up to about 4000 pounds of cargo for the astronauts," said Jessica Jensen, vice president of customer operations and integration at SpaceX.

"Behind you is the Electron rocket made by Rocket Lab. This is a rocket that is made in Long Beach. And they've launched 50 times successfully now. They've launched satellites, smaller satellites to orbit," Rudolph said.

The gallery is designed to get visitors eager to learn more about space and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

"I love when people walk in and see it. It's all good, It's just, it's amazing," said Lynda Oschin, chairperson of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation.

Oschin and her late husband Samuel Oschin were significant donors of the center. In his honor, she chose to name the center after him.

"This was everything that Sam loves. And I know that he would be very, very thrilled about this," Oschin said.

Construction on the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center is expected to be completed next year. In the meantime, the public can catch a glimpse of the artifacts that will be showcased and rotated throughout the year.