Photos of Space Shuttle Endeavor visiting San Francisco

By Robert Ellison. Updated on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

#OV105

Updated September 22, 2012 to add a few more photos:

 

Endeavor (OV105) flying over San Francisco with her escort:

Shuttle Endeavor Closeup

 

Endeavor over Alcatraz:

Shuttle Endeavor over Alcatraz

 

Endeavor making the second of two passes over the Golden Gate Bridge:

Shuttle Endeavor over the Golden Gate Bridge

 

Crowd watching Endeavor at Crissy Field:

Shuttle Endeavor over Crissy Field

The photograph captures a majestic scene where the Space Shuttle Endeavor makes a striking passage over San Francisco, dwarfed against the iconic silhouette of the Golden Gate Bridge. The bright sky acts as a vast, serene canvas, dotted only by the small escort aircraft ensuring safe passage. The shuttle, proudly carried atop a Boeing 747, glides with a quiet dignity that contrasts beautifully with the hardy, muscular presence of the bridge’s towering pillar. The cables of the bridge create a delicate web, lending a sense of intricate artistry to this moment in time. The low-lying fog creeping in the background hints at San Francisco's famous weather, adding an ethereal layer to the composition.

The photograph utilizes a balanced composition, with the bridge pillar on the right creating a strong vertical line that anchors the dynamic movement of the shuttle. The rule of thirds is deftly applied, with the main action occurring in the upper left third, attracting the eye naturally across the image. The contrast between the shuttle’s white against the azure sky intensifies its visibility and importance, creating a sense of awe and reverence. My appreciation lies in the harmonious interplay between human engineering and natural beauty, though I feel that a slightly wider frame might have enriched the context by showing more of the bridge or the surrounding cityscape, providing a greater sense of place. Nonetheless, the photograph succeeds in capturing a moment both historic and visually captivating.

Add your comment...

Related Posts

(Recent Photos)

(Published to the Fediverse as: Photos of Space Shuttle Endeavor visiting San Francisco #photo #endeavor Photos of OV105 (Space Shuttle Endeavor) visiting the San Francisco Bay Area in September 2012 before heading down to Los Angeles. )

Comments

Rob Ellison

And the wait!

Smele

Worth the weight...

Add Comment

All comments are moderated. Your email address is used to display a Gravatar and optionally for notification of new comments and to sign up for the newsletter.