World's last space shuttle fuel tank gets a Hollywood welcome in Marina del Rey

After sitting idle in a New Orleans lot for decades, the world’s last flight-ready space shuttle fuel tank arrived to a Hollywood welcome in Marina del Rey’s harbor at daybreak Wednesday.

• VIDEO: Massive shuttle tank arrives in harbor

A gaggle of reporters recorded its every move and public officials opined on the many generations of young scientists it will inspire. Bicyclists, boaters and other onlookers gawked at the massive, orange, cigar-shape aluminum tank designed to break through the Earth’s lower orbit.

“I’ve always been fascinated with NASA,” said Sanam Lambo, a San Pedro teacher who was one of the first to catch a glimpse of ET-94’s Los Angeles arrival. “I’m the crazy person looking at the astronauts’ menus when they’re up in space. This is pretty amazing.”

• VIDEO: The ET-94 tank docks at Marina del Rey

The tank, named ET-94 because it was the 94th exteal tank in NASA’s fleet, will sit in a Fisherman’s Village parking lot until Saturday, when it will be towed through city streets to its final destination at the Califoia Science Center in Exposition Park. There, it will join the Endeavour space shuttle, obtained by the museum three years ago, for an upright launch-position display in 2019. Until then, the orbiter and tank will sit horizontally in adjacent displays.

• VIDEO: Offloading the ET-94

“What an amazing day it is in Los Angeles. ET, welcome home,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “The space shuttle has been lonely. She needs a recoupling with an old flame. So we brought this tank here. We know that tanks, unfortunately, combust in space, so they’re not easy to come by. Fortunately, NASA has entrusted this City of Angels and the Califoia Science Center with this incredible piece of human history.

“This will be the only place in the world where you can see a complete shuttle stack — the orbiter, exteal tank and solid rocket boosters. This is going to be a one-of-a-kind exhibition in the world. A space shuttle with all the real flight hardware.

• VIDEO: Mayor Garcetti talks about the ET-94

ET-94’s predecessors were all destroyed in flight, since tanks for NASA’s orbiters could not withstand atmospheric heat on the retu trip. Lighter tanks were developed before ET-94 could lift an orbiter into outer space, so it was shelved. NASA officials used it to test theories about why ET-93 malfunctioned and a piece of its outer insulation ripped off, causing the Columbia to explode in flight in 2003.

• PHOTOS: Space shuttle tank arrives in Marina del Rey

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Among the hundreds of people who went to the marina Wednesday to catch early glimpses of the tank were aerospace aficionados Phil and Stephanie White, siblings who grew up with an appreciation of the science of space travel.

“Our dad worked in aerospace and we used to go to the Califoia Science Center all the time,” Stephanie White said. “I loved the energy and excitement in the city when Endeavour came. The whole city came together to watch the shuttle on the streets. Everybody was hopeful and happy. It was so nice.”

• PHOTOS: ET-94 space shuttle tank on the ground in Marina del Rey

Phil White, a space enthusiast on hand for ET-94’s arrival, noted the tank carried extremely cold oxygen and nitrogen used to propel the shuttle into space in less than nine minutes. But, these days, he said, the tank is a relic.

“It could barely make it to lower orbit,” White said. “Now, NASA is looking at going to Mars.”

Marlene Steinberg walked to the marina from her home to catch the spectacle.

“This is the end of an era that we grew up with,” Steinberg said.

Felicia Villarreal watched the tank move up the coast and into the overcast harbor during her moing bike ride from Playa del Rey to Santa Monica. In the ocean, it looked small, she said.

“Coming up the chael, it gradually looked larger,” said Villarreal, standing about 100 yards from the 153-foot-long tank. “It’s incredible to see it up close. It’s huge.”