Space Shuttle Endeavour Lands in Los Angeles

Flying as low as 1,500 feet around some of California’s most distinctive landmarks, the space shuttle Endeavour completed its final voyage Friday to cheers and many photos.

After taking off from Edwards Air Force Base on Friday morning, Endeavour headed north, buzzing the state Capitol in Sacramento, circling the Bay Area and soaring over a Golden Gate Bridge packed with onlookers.

As the sound of the plane’s engines drowned out the traffic on the bridge and tourists ran to get the best vantage point, screams of “Whooo!” could be heard as the shuttle flew over the suspension bridge.

Over the next few weeks, Endeavour will be unbolted and prepped for its 12-mile journey through the streets of Los Angeles. Work crews have been clearing the path for weeks, removing trees and dismantling utility poles.

Endeavour completed 25 successful takeoffs and touchdowns during its two-decade-long tenure as a space-going vehicle, but its landing on Friday was undoubtedly the most closely watched of its career. Millions of people followed along as it flew over several cities across the southern U.S.; tweets hashtagged #SpotTheShuttle provided a real-time trace of its journey.