After a dramatic three-day parade through city streets, Endeavour arrived at its new home at the California Science Center shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday amid cheers from thousands gathered to witness a piece of history.

"Mission 26 — Mission Accomplished," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said at a news conference at Exposition Park, the shuttle rising behind him as a backdrop. The mayor was referencing the shuttle’s 25 space missions and its journey across the city.

The 85-ton orbiter pulled up next to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and ground to a halt so that the mayor and others could officially mark its arrival at the park near the USC campus.

"Today everyone in the city of Los Angeles is an astronaut," said L.A. Fire Department Chief Brian Cummings at the news conference.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked the people of L.A. who showed up to see the shuttle, saying that in 35 years of dealing with crowds he was most impressed by  Endeavour's fans.

"The best, most enthusiastic — this is the best crowd we've ever worked with," Beck said.

Kenneth E. Phillips, curator of aerospace science at the Science Center, said it would be a few hours before the shuttle is moved into its hangar nearby. The wheels on the shuttle's special transporter have to be adjusted before making the move.

The shuttle was more than 15 hours behind schedule but survived its journey without a scratch. 

After enduring many delays, the shuttle reached the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Vermont Avenue near Exposition Park about 10:45 a.m. Sunday. Thousands of people poured onto the streets. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!"

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, as he walked in front of the massive orbiter.

Given the size of the crowds that had come out to see the shuttle the last three days, Rudolph said, the total had to be in the "seven figures."

The 85-ton shuttle was delayed several times along the last leg of its three-day, 12-mile journey as it weaved its way around a number of obstacles, sometimes its wings coming within inches of trees and utility poles.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

By 8:30 a.m., Endeavour had meandered its way out of another tree-lined neighborhood and then had to navigate between a Ralph's grocery store and C&C Caribbean Market at Western Avenue.

A row of people, who started to shed their sweaters, stood on top of a fence at Red Carpet Car Wash to see over the hordes of people between them and the shuttle.

After a 4 a.m. commute from Santa Clarita, Donna Rosen, 61, saw the shuttle in the dark and got to walk alongside it for a few hours.

Seeing the orbiter was impressive but also personal for Rosen. In the early '80s, when she worked in the governor's office in Texas, Rosen got to meet shuttle astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen.

"I didn't know it was on my bucket list, but it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen," Rosen said of the experience of seeing the shuttle.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

— Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber at Exposition Park

Photo: People take to rooftops for a glimpse of space shuttle Endeavour as it makes its way down Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times

The space shuttle Endeavour has entered Exposition Park and is slowly making its way to its new home at the California Science Center.

By 12:15 p.m., the shuttle had turned left on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard onto Bill Robertson Way and was making its way pass the Olympic swim stadium. The giant orbiter stopped so it could prepare to maneuver around trees and light poles.

Once the shuttle reaches the Science Center, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will hold a news conference to formally announce its arrival. Thousands of spectators have already swarmed the park.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

At 10:45 a.m., the shuttle reached the intersection of Vermont Avenue near Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and thousands of people poured onto the streets. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!" Many snapped photos with cameras and cellphones.

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the center, as he walked in front of the 85-ton shuttle.

Given the size of the crowds that had come out to see the shuttle the last two days, Rudolph said, the total had to be in the "seven figures."

The 85-ton shuttle was delayed several times along the last leg of its three-day, 12-mile journey as it weaved its way around a number of obstacles, sometimes its wings coming within inches of trees and utility poles.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

— Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber at Exposition Park

Endeavour is within sight of Exposition Park as it continues to inch its way along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard toward its new home at the California Science Center.

By 10:45 a.m., the shuttle had passed Vermont Avenue and had come to a stop near Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Thousands of people -- some hawking T-shirts and hot dogs -- poured onto the boulevard. Some chanted: "Science Center or bust!" "Let's go, let's go!" and "So close, so close!" Many snapped photos with their cameras and cellphones.

"I couldn't be happier with the result," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, as he walked in front of the massive orbiter.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

The 85-ton shuttle was delayed several times along the last leg of its two-day, 12-mile journey as it weaved its way around a number of obstacles, sometimes its wings coming within inches of trees and utility poles.

By 8:30 a.m., Endeavour had meandered its way out of another tree-lined neighborhood and then had to navigate between a Ralph's grocery store and a C & C Caribbean Market at Western Avenue.

A row of people, who started to shed their sweaters, stood on top of a fence at Red Carpet Car Wash to see over the hoards of people between them and the shuttle.

After a 4 a.m. commute from Santa Clarita, Donna Rosen, 61, saw the shuttle in the dark and got to walk alongside it for a few hours.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

Seeing the orbiter was impressive, but also personal for Rosen. In the early '80s, when she worked in the governor's office in Texas, Rosen got to meet shuttle astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen.

"I didn't know it was on my bucket list, but it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen," Rosen said of the experience of seeing the shuttle.

Aliesha Nickerson, who lives in the neighborhood, drove down to a gas station on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Denker Avenue at 7 a.m. to grab a prime viewing spot. Still in her pajamas, she stood next to a gray minivan while her 10-year-old daughter, 8-year-old son -- both in their pajamas -- and her boyfriend, Tyree, sat on top of the vehicle.

A crowd spilled into the gas station's parking lot while awaiting Endeavour, which was a few blocks west.

Nickerson said she appreciated the effort to slow down in order to save as many pine trees along the boulevard as possible.

The effort "is great because they planted them for Martin Luther King. That's very thoughtful," she said.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

--Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber

Photo: Endeavour along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Credit: Andrew Khouri

The 28th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles — estimated to draw some 30,000 participants — will get underway Sunday morning with scheduled speeches by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and West Hollywood Mayor Jeffrey Prang.

The politicians will address “the current HIV/AIDS crisis in Los Angeles County” among other topics, according to a news release from AIDS Walk L.A.

The group notes that more than 60,000 people are currently living with the disease and that an average of seven Angelenos are infected with HIV each day.

The walk begins and ends at West Hollywood Park, at San Vicente Boulevard between Santa Monica Boulevard and Melrose Avenue. The walk, which aims to raise money for education and prevention of the spread of the disease, begins at 10 a.m. Dozens of celebrities and politicians are expected to attend and speeches will be beforehand.

AIDS Walk L.A. recently earned headlines over an issue that has less to do with walking and a lot more to do with buses.

The founder of AIDS WALK L.A., Craig Miller, sued the city of Santa Monica last month because the city made a ruling prohibiting the group’s ads on its Big Blue Bus system, a move apparently intended to protect the system from turning into a “public forum” in which officials fear they would lose control of content.

The system had been running the ads for several years.

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The space shuttle Endeavour is now expected to arrive at Exposition Park in about two hours, officials said.

As the sun rose about 6:45 am, Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the California Science Center, said Endeavour should arrive at the park in roughly an hour or two.

Standing in the middle of the street, Rudolph expressed relief that Endeavour had finished its toughest stretch along tree-lined Marthin Luther King Jr. Boulevard without a scratch.

It feels "really good, really really good," he said with a chuckle.

By 6:30 a.m., hundreds of people were already gathering along the boulevard to catch a glimpse of the massive orbiter.

Janice Brown, 62, clad in slippers, a white bathroom robe and a shower cap, posed for a picture with Endeavour.

She and her daughter, Monyca, 42, scurried out of their nearby home when they heard choppers overhead.

They checked the news and were surprised to hear that they hadn't missed it after all.

"It said it'd be at the Science Center by 1:30," Janice said. "So I went to bed."

"This is amazing," Monyca said as her mom snapped a photo of her with Endeavour.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

After a quick visit, the duo planned to head home, finish primping and then head to church nearby.

The spacecraft's wings came within inches of the trees, forcing crews to do last-minute trims. In the predawn darkness, a crewman shined a flashlight on the tip of Endeavour's wingspan, which is so broad that it often hung over the boulevard’s sidewalks.

Hour by hour, the delays of Endeavour seemed to stretch even longer. On Saturday afternoon, the shuttle was only three hours behind its scheduled arrival of 9 p.m. that night. But by 2:30 a.m. Sunday, it was about eight hours behind schedule, making it possible that Endeavour would arrive well after Sunday breakfast plates had been cleared away.

The seemingly interminable delays wore on the police officers who were escorting the shuttle, who had now been working 18 or 19 hours. They appeared weary, with baggy eyes. A fleet of 12 LAPD cruisers sat behind the shuttle, as one fatigued officer riding shotgun rested his elbow on the window edge, leaning his head on his fist. 

A team of replacement officers, who were working their regular 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, were called in to provide relief at the last moment and were ordered to stay with Endeavour until it reached the California Science Center museum, its final retirement home.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

When it would actually arrive there, nobody knew for certain.

"We're used to stuff like this," said LAPD Sgt. Kate Stanwix, one of those brought in to relieve her colleagues. "What's the use of complaining?" 

George Martin, 55, was standing on the sidewalk on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when the shuttle passed Leimert Park shortly before 6 a.m.

“We waited all day and night, and it finally got here,” Martin said, as he gazed toward the shuttle coming down the boulevard.

Martin, who had staked out his spot at 11 a.m. on Saturday, said the wait was worth it.

“Oh, yeah, you're never going to get to see it again,” he said. “This is it.”

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

--Andrew Khouri and Marisa Gerber

Photo: Shuttle Endeavour on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Credit: Andrew Khouri

The Space Shuttle Endeavour has cleared Leimert Park and a cluster of pine trees along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard that had slowed the final leg of its journey to its retirement home at the California Science Center.

"From then on it's pretty wide open," said Jeffrey Rudolph, president of the center. But Rudolph declined to give a time frame for Endeavour’s arrival at the Science Center.

The spacecraft's wings came within inches of the trees, forcing crews to do last-minute trims. In the predawn darkness, a crewman shined a flashlight on the tip of Endeavour's wingspan, which is so broad that it often hung over the boulevard’s sidewalks.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

Hour by hour, the delays of Endeavour seemed to stretch even longer. On Saturday afternoon, the shuttle was only three hours behind its scheduled arrival of 9 p.m. that night. But by 2:30 a.m. Sunday, it was about eight hours behind schedule, making it possible that Endeavour would arrive well after Sunday breakfast plates had been cleared away.

The seemingly interminable delays wore on the police officers who were escorting the shuttle, who had now been working 18 or 19 hours. They appeared weary, with baggy eyes. A fleet of 12 LAPD cruisers sat behind the shuttle, as one fatigued officer riding shotgun rested his elbow on the window edge, resting his head on his fist. 

A team of replacement officers, who were working their regular 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shifts, were called in to provide relief at the last moment and were ordered to stay with Endeavour until it reached the California Science Center museum.

When it would actually arrive, no one knew for certain.

"We're used to stuff like this," said LAPD Sgt. Kate Stanwix, one of those brought in to relieve her colleagues. "What's the use of complaining?" 

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

George Martin, 55, was standing on the sidewalk on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard when the shuttle passed Leimert Park shortly before 6 a.m.

“We waited all day and night, and it finally got here,” Martin said, as he gazed toward the shuttle coming down the boulevard.

Martin, who had staked out his spot at 11 a.m. on Saturday, said the wait was worth it.

“Oh, yeah, you're never going to get to see it again,” he said. “This is it.”

Officials had known the path of Endeavour on the first stretch of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard would be difficult. They decided they wanted to protect the trees planted in honor of the slain civil rights leader, so they designed a complex series of zigzag, crab-like movements to pass Endeavour through the relatively narrow road.

At one point, crews lowered the shuttle just to avoid a leafy tree — and the spacecraft was able to sneak under a branch. Workers only had to snip off a bit of the bark.

"Amazing they can control this machinery to control this huge spaceship — how they can save the tree — that was like inches," said Eleuterio Rojas of Leimert Park, moments after the shuttle's right wing cleared a tree by about an inch or so in front of Audubon Middle School.

ALSO:

Past 1:30 a.m., cheers as space shuttle moves -- then, a leak

Maintenance delays push Endeavour arrival to 7 a.m. at earliest

Space shuttle Endeavour won't arrive at museum until 6 a.m. at earliest

--- Andrew Khouri, Frank Shyong and Marisa Gerber in Leimert Park

Photo: Space shuttle Endeavour in Leimert Park/Credit: Andrew Khouri

At about 10:30 a.m., most of the crowd had left and it was time for the heavy lifting to begin.

About 30 minutes after the space shuttle Endeavour rolled down Manchester Boulevard, a crew of seven electricians donning white hard hats and neon yellow vests took up positions at the intersection of Manchester and Kareem Court.

Their goal: reconnect the traffic signal to its pole and get it back into the ground. Having removed the fixture to make way for the shuttle, the workers' neon vests appropriately read "Shuttle Delivery Team."

One worker cleared pedestrians from the sidewalk, while three others bent down and collectively struggled to lift the rectangular signal off the ground.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

The stoutest of the workers was impressed by the chunk of metal: "Dang, this is heavy."

His co-worker laughed, "You think?"

The trio rested the light -- whose red, yellow and green circles were each the size of the men's heads -- on their knees for a break. Then they heaved it up and waited as another coworker grabbed a wrench and bolted the light back to the pole.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

Now it was time to put the whole fixture back into place.

The space shuttle Endeavour rolled across its final frontier Saturday, successfully crossing a bridge over the 405 Freeway and pivoting through tight spots en route to its new home at the California Science Center in Exposition Park.

Thousands of people thronged the streets to watch the shuttle crawl through the streets of Inglewood and then Los Angeles.

The massive space vehicle made a two-hour stop at the Forum in Inglewood, arriving early to the delight of crowds and politicians who crowed about Southern California landing what they called a national treasure.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

“All of these states tried to get the Endeavour and they lost,” state Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) told those who assembled on a chilly, sparkling morning. “One of the reasons they lost is because Endeavor was born here,” referring to the Palmdale facility that built the shuttles. “This morning,” Wright said, “we have the opportunity to say, ‘Welcome home.’”

The five-story-tall shuttle, which survived 123 million miles of space travel, faced some of its trickiest maneuvers in the streets of Inglewood.

At one tense standoff, it was the shuttle versus a tree. For more than 20 minutes crews in orange-and-yellow vests swarmed the idled shuttle with its 78-foot wingspan on Crenshaw Drive and 84th Place. About a foot of its left wing was on the wrong side of a Chinese elm.

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

Would it fall like nearly 400 other trees cleared along the route?

Precious minutes ticked by. Then the four computerized transport wheels eased into gear, the shuttle shimmied one way, then the other. Its left wing squeezed by the leafy obstruction with fewer than eight inches to spare.

The crowd roared and burst into applause. Hundreds lined the route, jockeying for position to see better, as police herded them back behind yellow tape.

Randy Montano wasn’t planning on charging people to use his aerial lift. But when people started “throwing money” his way, space shuttle Endeavour’s journey through Los Angeles quickly became something of a business venture.

As Montano -- owner of a sign and graphics company along the shuttle route -- controlled the lift, people strolled up to him, asking the price.

"Whatever you want to give," Montano told one inquirer.

"I am never going to have the space shuttle near my shop again."

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's jaunt across L.A.

Endeavour arrived in Los Angeles last month with an air of majesty, soaring over ocean and mountains, swooping past the Hollywood sign and Disneyland, and dazzling crowds gazing up from the ground.

The shuttle lost a little of that grandeur Friday, towed by four trailers, inching down city streets from Los Angeles International Airport toward its new life as an exhibit at the California Science Center. But it was greeted with fanfare by large crowds who marveled at its sheer size against the city backdrop.

With the crowd came those who cashed in on what some called "shuttlemania."

PHOTOS: Endeavour rolls through the streets of L.A.

By 10 a.m. Friday, the spacecraft had already earned Mitch Warner almost $500.

Endeavour took just under five minutes to move from Manchester Boulevard onto Crenshaw Drive, the wheels of its computerized transporters turning perpendicular to Crenshaw as it navigated the turn.

Moments earlier, police ushered a crowd back 50 feet. "The shuttle cannot make the turn!" An officer warned via loudspeaker.

But the shuttle did, and proceeded to crawl up Crenshaw past several apartment complexes before it was forced to stop just in front of 84th Place. A tree trunk stood in the way.  Because of the curve of the road, the left wing of the shuttle couldn't clear the trunk.

FULL COVERAGE: Endeavour's move through L.A.

Crews began inching the wheels of the transporter back and fourth, and the rear wheels of the rear transporter moved over driveways. As workers continued to try to maneuver around the problem tree, they began trimming low-hanging branches from a second tree nearby.

On Crenshaw, hundreds of spectators gathered on side streets and rooftops to watch the spectacle.

After a 20-minute delay, the shuttle was rolling again.