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Internet captivated by giant space shuttle tank rolling through Southern California

The only good reason for gridlock.

 

April Siese

Internet Culture

Posted on May 21, 2016   Updated on May 26, 2021, 5:59 pm CDT

A 15-story space shuttle fuel tank is making its way to the California Science Center.

ET-94 is the last fully functional, detachable tank of its kind, hailing from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The tank took to the water earlier this week to make its way across the country.

After its tugboat journey, ET-94 has been strapped to a truck, made its way up the coast, and is being driven through one of the most congested metropolitans in the country—and the Internet can’t help but track its every move.

The beloved artifact of NASA‘s space shuttle program is perhaps the only non-sentient being to be praised for making it even worse to drive through Los Angeles.

Folks have even made a game out of spotting ET-94. The tank has been traveling since midnight and is expected to land at the Science Center a full 19 hours later, arriving at 8pm on Saturday at the latest.

https://twitter.com/pfal/status/734103689938403329

The L.A. Times has been diligently chronicling ET-94’s journey. You can too if you’re out in the Los Angeles metro. Just please, for the love of god, stop sexualizing a giant metal tube.

https://twitter.com/cinddy_m/status/734073965459562496

H/T L.A. Times

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*First Published: May 21, 2016, 3:58 pm CDT