Near Earth Space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator offloads NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from a flatbed truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’ More

This chart describes Skylab's Particle Collection device, a scientific experiment designed to study micro-meteoroid particles in near-Earth space and determine their abundance, mass distribution, composition, a More

This photograph shows Skylab's Particle Collection device, a scientific experiment designed to study micro-meteoroid particles in near-Earth space and determine their abundance, mass distribution, composition, More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker installs bolt cutters on one of the THEMIS probes. The cutters will separate each probe from the payload carrier. The More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the five probes of the THEMIS spacecraft remain under cover. The probes will undergo weeks of testing and launch preparations. More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a light test on the solar arrays are complete on this probe of the THEMIS spacecraft. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, t More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a solar array on one of the THEMIS probes undergoes a light test. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, the largest number More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers maneuver one of the THEMIS probes before installing bolt cutters that will separate each probe from the payload carrier. More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a solar array on one of the THEMIS probes undergoes a light test. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, the largest number of More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a technician works on the solar array of a THEMIS probe in preparation for a light test. THEMIS consists of five identical prob More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare one of the THEMIS probes for installation of bolt cutters that will separate each probe from the payload carrier More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers maneuver one of the THEMIS probes before installing bolt cutters that will separate each probe from the payload carrier. More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., technicians work on the solar array of a THEMIS probe in preparation for a light test. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers install bolt cutters on one of the THEMIS probes. The cutters will separate each probe from the payload carrier. The p More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a technician arranges a light for a test on a solar array on one of the THEMIS probes. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers install bolt cutters on one of the THEMIS probes. The cutters will separate each probe from the payload carrier. The pr More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., technicians are preparing one of five THEMIS probes to be secured inside a shipping container (behind it). The probes are being More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., one of the five THEMIS probes is ready to be covered for its move to the hazardous processing facility. There it will be placed o More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., one of the five THEMIS probes is moved out of the facility and will be transported to the hazardous processing facility. There t More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- One of the five THEMIS probes arrives at the hazardous processing facility after leaving Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla. At the facility, the probes will be placed More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., technicians help lower a shipping container over one of the five THEMIS probes for its move to the hazardous processing facility. More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- One of the five THEMIS probes is being transported from Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., to the hazardous processing facility. There the probes will be placed on a s More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., technicians release the overhead crane from the shipping container placed around one of the five THEMIS probes for its move to th More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers prepare to load NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, onto a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Cent More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers secure NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, onto a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Flo More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers move NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, to the end of the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane at the Shuttle Landing Facilit More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers prepare to offload NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo airplane at the Shuttle Landing Facility at N More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, is positioned at the end of the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane to be offloaded at the Shuttl More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A worker releases NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from the forklift that delivered it to the airlock of the Astrotech payload processing More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, toward a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Preparations are under way to offload NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes from a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo airplane at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in F More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, enclosed in protective shipping containers, arrive at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida where More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers prepare to offload NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo airplane at the Shuttle Landing Facility at N More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers secure NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, onto a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Flo More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator moves NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, toward the open bay door of the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator lowers NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane to the tarmac at the Shut More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Preparations are under way to offload NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, enclosed in protective shipping containers, into the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kenne More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator moves NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, toward the open bay door of the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers position NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, onto a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in F More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, enclosed in protective shipping containers, have been secured on a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers position NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, onto a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in F More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard are NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes. More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, is positioned into the airlock of the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Cen More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator moves NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, toward a flatbed truck at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, enclosed in protective shipping containers, depart from the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a flatbed tr More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft nears landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard are NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes. More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers move NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, to the end of the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane at the Shuttle Landing Facilit More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift is enlisted to lower NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe B, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane to the tarmac at the More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator lowers NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A, enclosed in a protective shipping container, from the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 airplane to the tarmac at the Shut More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft lands at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard are NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes. The RBSP More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft approaches the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard are NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes. More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, enclosed in protective shipping containers, have arrived in the airlock of the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Cen More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians lift the shipping container fro More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians line up the holding fixtures co More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians secure one of the solar arrays More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians unpack the solar arrays for NAS More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians lift NASA's Radiation Belt Stor More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians prepare to remove the shipping More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians prepare to lift NASA's Radiatio More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Holding fixtures containing the solar arrays for NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probe A line the floor of the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Ken More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a team approach is used by Applied Physics Laboratory technicians to l More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians place the one of the solar arra More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians prepare to place one of the sol More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are under way to remove the shipping container from aroun More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians steady one of the solar arrays More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians secure NASA's Radiation Belt St More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians remove the protective shroud fr More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians unpack one of the solar arrays More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians remove the protective shroud fr More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians prepare to connect NASA's twin More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an Applied Physics Laboratory technician cleans NASA's Radiation Belt More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a team approach is used by Applied Physics Laboratory technicians to s More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians prepare NASA's Radiation Belt S More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians position NASA's Radiation Belt More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians line up the holding fixtures co More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an Applied Physics Laboratory technician prepares the instruments and More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes A and B are secured on test stands More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians lift one of the solar arrays fo More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians lift NASA's Radiation Belt Stor More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians prepare to lift NASA's Radiatio More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an Applied Physics Laboratory technician secures NASA's Radiation Belt More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Applied Physics Laboratory technicians lower NASA's Radiation Belt Sto More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Using flashlights, technicians closely inspect one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes in the Astrotech payload processing facility near Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Rad More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Technicians inspect one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at Astrotech payload processing facility. The Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, mi More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare to clean and inspect Radiation Belt Storm Probes A More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A technician cleans and inspects one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes in the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near Kennedy Space Center in Florid More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Barely visible behind equipment, a technician uses a black light to inspect one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at Astrotech payload processing f More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a technician performs a black light inspection on one of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes. Black l More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Working in near-darkness inside the high bay clean room at the Astrotech payload processing facility, two technicians use black lights to inspect of one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Stor More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A technician performs a black light inspection on one of NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at Astrotech payload processing facility. Black light inspection More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes A and B are secured to work stands in the Astrotech payload processing facility, where technicians work to clean and inspect the two spacecraft. The More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Technicians use flashlights to conduct a meticulous inspection of one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes. The spacecraft is secured to a work stand inside the Astrotech payload pr More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Using a black light, a technician closely inspects one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at Astrotech payload processing facility. Black light insp More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Using a black light, technicians closely inspect a solar panel on one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facilit More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Using a black light, technicians closely inspect a solar panel on one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facilit More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Using a black light, technicians closely inspect a solar panel on one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes inside the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facilit More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Working in near-darkness inside the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians use black lights to inspect a More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Working in near-darkness inside the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians use black lights to inspect a More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The United Launch Alliance Atlas V first stage booster for NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission travels through Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida en route to the Atlas Spa More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians monitor the progress as the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft B is More