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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers attach cables to the Ares I-X forward skirt, which was transported from the Astrotech facility. The segment will be lifted off the transporter and placed on supports on the floor. United Space Alliance, under a subcontract to ATK, will complete the integration and assembly of the forward skirt components in the ARF. It will then be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 for stacking operations. The forward skirt is the initial piece of first-stage hardware in preparation for the July 2009 test flight of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. Built entirely of armored steel, the 14,000-pound segment is seven feet tall and 12-1/4 feet wide. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1312

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facili...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers attach cables to the Ares I-X forward skirt, which was transported from the Astrotech ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, prepare to move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in preparation for flight. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31, from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton. KSC-06pd1855

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facilit...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, prepare to move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check ... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3916

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us under... More

The solar panels on the <a href="http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/captions/subjects/goes-l.htm">GOES-L</a> weather satellite are fully deployed. Final testing of the imaging system, instrumentation, communications and power systems also will be performed at the Astrotech facility, Titusville, Fla. The satellite is to be launched from Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) aboard an Atlas II rocket in late March. The GOES-L is the fourth of a new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is a three-axis inertially stabilized spacecraft that will provide pictures and perform atmospheric sounding at the same time. Once launched, the satellite, to be designated GOES-11, will undergo checkout and provide backup capabilities for the existing, aging GOES East weather satellite KSC-99pc19

The solar panels on the <a href="http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/ca...

The solar panels on the kscpao/captions/subjects/goes-l.htm">GOES-L</a> weather satellite are fully deployed. Final testing of the imaging system, instrumentation, communications and power systems also will be ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Astrotech Facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is ready to be transported to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, for mate to the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder. KSC-07pd1653

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Astrotech Facility in Titusv...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Astrotech Facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is ready to be transported to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, for mate to the Delta ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, has been rotated to vertical on the Aronson stand. A crane will be attached to move it to another stand. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2158

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, has been rotated to vertical on the Aronson stand. A crane will be attached to move it to anot... More

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT KSC-97pc223

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weat...

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power sys... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3908

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us under... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3909

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us unders... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STEREO spacecraft sits on a test stand inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in preparation for flight. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31, from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton. KSC-06pd1854

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STEREO spacecraft sits on a test st...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The STEREO spacecraft sits on a test stand inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft moves out of the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., for transportation to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and mate to the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder. KSC-07pd1654

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft moves out of the...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft moves out of the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., for transportation to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and mate to the Delta II... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket is transported off Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida on its way to the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The Atlas V will launch NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. The two spacecraft will be integrated with the Atlas V and tested for final flight worthiness. Launch is scheduled for the spring. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston KSC-2009-1766

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket is tran...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket is transported off Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida on its way to the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The Atlas V wi... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3907

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us unde... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3912

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associ...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us un... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility, or ARF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers lift the padding away from the Ares I-X forward skirt transferred from the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The forward skirt is the initial piece of first-stage hardware in preparation for the July 2009 test flight of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. Built entirely of armored steel, the 14,000-pound segment is seven feet tall and 12-1/4 feet wide. United Space Alliance, under a subcontract to ATK, will complete the integration and assembly of the forward skirt components in the ARF. It will then be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 for stacking operations. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs KSC-2009-1309

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facilit...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility, or ARF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers lift the padding away from the Ares I-X forward skirt transferred from the Ast... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida, the crane at left will lift the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket below it to place it on the flatbed truck at right. The Centaur arrived at CCAFS aboard the Russian AH-124-100 aircraft. The Centaur will be transported to the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The Atlas V will launch NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. The two spacecraft will be integrated with the Atlas V and tested for final flight worthiness. Launch is scheduled for the spring. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston KSC-2009-1762

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid st...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida, the crane at left will lift the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket below it to place it on the flatbed truck at right. The... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians perform backlight inspection and cleaning on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Black light inspection uses UVA fluorescence to detect possible particulate microcontamination, minute cracks or fluid leaks. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2154

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians perform backlight inspection and cleaning on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Black light inspection uses UVA fluor... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3911

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associ...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us u... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., a crane moves NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, toward a stand in the foreground. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2160

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., a crane moves NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, toward a stand in the foreground. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to pro... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., a crane is attached to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. The crane will move LRO to another stand. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2159

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., a crane is attached to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. The crane will move LRO to another stand. The orbiter will carry seven ... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3906

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us unde... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3913

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associ...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help u... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3918

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us unders... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in preparation for flight. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31, from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton. KSC-06pd1858

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facilit...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ares I-X forward skirt is lifted off the transporter that carried it from the Astrotech facility. The segment will be lifted off the transporter and placed on supports on the floor. United Space Alliance, under a subcontract to ATK, will complete the integration and assembly of the forward skirt components in the ARF. It will then be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 for stacking operations. The forward skirt is the initial piece of first-stage hardware in preparation for the July 2009 test flight of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. Built entirely of armored steel, the 14,000-pound segment is seven feet tall and 12-1/4 feet wide. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1313

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facili...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ares I-X forward skirt is lifted off the transporter that carried it from the Astrotech fa... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians perform backlight inspection and cleaning on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Black light inspection uses UVA fluorescence to detect possible particulate microcontamination, minute cracks or fluid leaks. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2153

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians perform backlight inspection and cleaning on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Black light inspection uses UVA fluor... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, begins moving to a vertical position on the Aronson rotation stand. When vertical, a crane will be attached to move the LRO to another stand. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2157

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, begins moving to a vertical position on the Aronson rotation stand. When vertical, a crane will... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A truck hauls NASA's TDRS-L satellite away from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Astrotech facility in Titusville for launch processing. The TDRS is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser KSC-2013-4275

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A truck hauls NASA's TDRS-L satellite away from...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A truck hauls NASA's TDRS-L satellite away from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to the Astrotech facility in Titusville for launch processing. The T... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in preparation for flight. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31, from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton. KSC-06pd1857

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facilit...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X forward skirt arrives at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., after its journey from Major Tool & Machine Inc. in Indiana. Major Tool is subcontractor to Ares I prime contractor Alliant Techsystems Inc., or ATK, in Utah. The forward skirt is the initial piece of first-stage hardware in preparation for the July 2009 test flight of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. Built entirely of armored steel, the 14,000-pound segment is seven feet tall and 12-1/4 feet wide. United Space Alliance, under a subcontract to ATK, will integrate and assemble the forward skirt components in the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.. It will then be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 for stacking operations. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs KSC-08pd3652

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X forward skirt arrives at the Astr...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X forward skirt arrives at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., after its journey from Major Tool & Machine Inc. in Indiana. Major Tool is subcontractor to Ares I prime... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X fifth segment simulator aft section is being transported from the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ares I is the essential core of a safe, reliable, cost-effective space transportation system that eventually will carry crewed missions back to the moon, on to Mars and out into the solar system. Ares I-X is targeted for launch in July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1666

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X fifth segment simulator aft sectio...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X fifth segment simulator aft section is being transported from the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Ares I-X is the test ve... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida, the crane is attached to the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket to lift and place it on a flatbed truck. The Centaur will be transported to the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The Atlas V will launch NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. The two spacecraft will be integrated with the Atlas V and tested for final flight worthiness. Launch is scheduled for the spring. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston KSC-2009-1763

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid stri...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida, the crane is attached to the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket to lift and place it on a flatbed truck. The Centaur will b... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians perform backlight inspection and cleaning on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Black light inspection uses UVA fluorescence to detect possible particulate microcontamination, minute cracks or fluid leaks. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2155

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians perform backlight inspection and cleaning on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Black light inspection uses UVA fluor... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3910

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associ...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians work with a solar array with its associated science boom for the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us ... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3917

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us under... More

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT KSC-97pc224

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weat...

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power sys... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in preparation for flight. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31, from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton. KSC-06pd1856

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facilit...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GLAST spacecraft, covered by a payload transportation canister, is ready for its transfer from the Astrotech facility to pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope will be lifted into the mobile service tower and attached to the Delta II second stage. GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. The launch date is targeted no earlier than June 3. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd1409

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GLAST spacecraft, covered by a payload tr...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GLAST spacecraft, covered by a payload transportation canister, is ready for its transfer from the Astrotech facility to pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, N... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility, or ARF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the padding is being removed from around the Ares I-X forward skirt. It was transferred from the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The forward skirt is the initial piece of first-stage hardware in preparation for the July 2009 test flight of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system. Built entirely of armored steel, the 14,000-pound segment is seven feet tall and 12-1/4 feet wide. United Space Alliance, under a subcontract to ATK, will complete the integration and assembly of the forward skirt components in the ARF. It will then be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 for stacking operations. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs KSC-2009-1308

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facili...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility, or ARF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the padding is being removed from around the Ares I-X forward skirt. It was transfer... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With workers assisting, a crane places the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket on a flatbed truck on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida. The Centaur will be transported to the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The Atlas V will launch NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. The two spacecraft will be integrated with the Atlas V and tested for final flight worthiness. Launch is scheduled for the spring. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston KSC-2009-1764

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With workers assisting, a crane places the Cen...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – With workers assisting, a crane places the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket on a flatbed truck on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida. The Centaur will be transpo... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3914

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us und... More

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power systems of the spacecraft. The GOES-K is the third spacecraft to be launched in the new advanced series of geostationary weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-K is built for NASA and NOAA by Space Systems/LORAL of Palo Alto, Calif. The launch of the satellite from Launch Pad 36B at Cape Canaveral Air Station on an Atlas 1 rocket (AC-79) is currently planned for Apr. 24 at the opening of a launch window which extends from 1:56 to 3:19 a.m. EDT KSC-97pc222

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weat...

Space Systems/LORAL employees inspect solar panels for the GOES-K weather satellite in the Astrotech facility at Titusville, Fla., as they begin final testing of the imaging system, communications and power sys... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and alignment in preparation for flight. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31, from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton. KSC-06pd1859

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facilit...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians inside the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida, move the STEREO spacecraft to the spin table. The twin observatories will undergo a spin test to check balance and... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida, the crane is being removed from the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket after placing the Centaur on the flatbed truck. The Centaur will be transported to the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. The Atlas V will launch NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. The two spacecraft will be integrated with the Atlas V and tested for final flight worthiness. Launch is scheduled for the spring. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston KSC-2009-1765

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid stri...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's skid strip in Florida, the crane is being removed from the Centaur stage of the Atlas V rocket after placing the Centaur on the flatbed truck. The Ce... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians secure NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, onto a stand. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2161

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians secure NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, onto a stand. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians wait for the rotation of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, (center) on the Aronson stand. When vertical, a crane will be attached to move the LRO to another stand. The orbiter will carry seven instruments to provide scientists with detailed maps of the lunar surface and enhance our understanding of the moon's topography, lighting conditions, mineralogical composition and natural resources. Information gleaned from LRO will be used to select safe landing sites, determine locations for future lunar outposts and help mitigate radiation dangers to astronauts. The polar regions of the moon are the main focus of the mission because continuous access to sunlight may be possible and water ice may exist in permanently shadowed areas of the poles. Accompanying LRO on its journey to the moon will be the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, a mission that will impact the lunar surface in its search for water ice. Launch of LRO is targeted for May 20. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-2156

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla., technicians wait for the rotation of NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, (center) on the Aronson stand. When vertical, a crane wil... More

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us understand the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth's radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its liftoff aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Liftoff is targeted for Aug. 23, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-3915

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associate...

TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Technicians attach a solar array with its associated science boom to the Radiation Belt Storm Probe B at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Fla. NASA's RBSP mission will help us unde... More