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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. install thermal insulation on NASA's Juno magnetometer boom. The boom structure is attached to Juno's solar array #1 that will help power the NASA spacecraft on its mission to Jupiter. The solar-powered spacecraft will orbit Jupiter's poles 33 times to find out more about the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere and investigate the existence of a solid planetary core. Juno is scheduled to launch aboard an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Aug. 5. For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/juno. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller It will splash down into the Atlantic Ocean where the ship and its crew will recover it and tow it back through Port Canaveral for refurbishing for another launch. The STS-124 mission is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. Photo credit: USA/Jeff Suter KSC-2011-2821

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians in the Astrotech payload processin...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. install thermal insulation on NASA's Juno magnetometer boom. The boom structure is attached to Juno's solar a... More

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’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida where Applied Physics Laboratory technicians will begin spacecraft testing and prelaunch preparations. The twin RBSP spacecraft arrived at Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility in the cargo bay of a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft earlier in the day. The 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. The RBSP instruments will provide the measurements needed to characterize and quantify the plasma processes that produce very energetic ions and relativistic electrons. The mission is part of NASA’s broader Living With a Star Program that was conceived to explore fundamental processes that operate throughout the solar system, and in particular those that generate hazardous space weather effects in the vicinity of Earth and phenomena that could impact solar system exploration. RBSP is scheduled to begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen Radiation Belts and the extremes of space weather after launch. Launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled for August 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2012-2638

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A forklift operator offloads NASA's Radiation B...

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

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the predawn hours, the Aura spacecraft is being transported from the Astrotech payload processing facility located a few miles south of Space Launch Complex 2 on North Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The latest in the Earth Observing System (EOS) series, Aura is scheduled to launch July 10 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Aura’s four state-of-the-art instruments will study the dynamics of chemistry occurring in the atmosphere. The spacecraft will provide data to help scientists better understand the Earth’s ozone, air quality and climate change. KSC-04pd1350

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the predawn hours, the Aura spacecraf...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the predawn hours, the Aura spacecraft is being transported from the Astrotech payload processing facility located a few miles south of Space Launch Complex 2 on North Vandenber... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the predawn hours, the Aura spacecraft is transported the short distance from the Astrotech payload processing facility to Space Launch Complex 2 on North Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The latest in the Earth Observing System (EOS) series, Aura is scheduled to launch July 10 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Aura’s four state-of-the-art instruments will study the dynamics of chemistry occurring in the atmosphere. The spacecraft will provide data to help scientists better understand the Earth’s ozone, air quality and climate change. KSC-04pd1351

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the predawn hours, the Aura spacecraf...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the predawn hours, the Aura spacecraft is transported the short distance from the Astrotech payload processing facility to Space Launch Complex 2 on North Vandenberg Air Force B... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the GOES-N spacecraft is secured to a transporter for its transfer back to Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., after being demated from the Boeing Delta IV launch vehicle. Launch of the satellite was scrubbed in August 2005 due to technical issues and postponed to a later date. Due to the extended length of time the spacecraft has been atop the rocket without launching, the weather satellite is being returned to the Astrotech payload processing facility for some precautionary retesting and state-of-health checks. GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites for NOAA and NASA providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton KSC-06pd0341

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral A...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the GOES-N spacecraft is secured to a transporter for its transfer back to Astrotech Space Operations in Titusv... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a payload fairing, enters the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Liftoff of the satellite from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was scrubbed in August 2005 due to technical issues and postponed to a later date. Due to the extended length of time the spacecraft had been atop its Delta IV rocket without launching, the weather satellite is being returned to Astrotech for some precautionary retesting and state of health checks. GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites for NOAA and NASA providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-06pd0349

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a pa...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a payload fairing, enters the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Liftoff of the satellite fro... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a payload fairing, arrives at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Liftoff of the satellite from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was scrubbed in August 2005 due to technical issues and postponed to a later date. Due to the extended length of time the spacecraft had been atop its Delta IV rocket without launching, the weather satellite is being returned to Astrotech for some precautionary retesting and state of health checks. GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites for NOAA and NASA providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-06pd0347

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a pa...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a payload fairing, arrives at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Liftoff of the satellite from Launch Complex 37 at ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a payload fairing, is rolled into the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Liftoff of the satellite from Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida was scrubbed in August 2005 due to technical issues and postponed to a later date. Due to the extended length of time the spacecraft had been atop its Delta IV rocket without launching, the weather satellite is being returned to Astrotech for some precautionary retesting and state of health checks. GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites for NOAA and NASA providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-06pd0350

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a pa...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The GOES-N satellite, secured inside a payload fairing, is rolled into the clean room high bay at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Liftoff of the satel... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat, covered by a transport canister, is lowered onto a payload transporter. The spacecraft is being moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. Launch of CALIPSO/CloudSat is scheduled for April 21. KSC-06pd0671

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Pr...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat, covered by a transport canister, is ... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister is lowered toward the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat below. Once inside the canister, the spacecraft will be moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0664

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Proc...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister is lowered toward the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister is lowered over the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat below. Once inside the canister, the spacecraft will be moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0665

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Proc...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister is lowered over the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and C... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister covers the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat. The spacecraft will be moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0666

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Proc...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister covers the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat. The spa... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister, at left, is moved across the high bay toward the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat waiting at right. The canister will be lowered over the spacecraft for the move to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0663

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Proc...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister, at left, is moved across the high bay toward the covered... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a worker secures the transport canister around the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat. The spacecraft will be moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0667

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Proc...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a worker secures the transport canister around the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and C... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers secure the transport canister around the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat. The spacecraft will be moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0668

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Pro...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers secure the transport canister around the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and Cl... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister is prepared for lifting. It will be placed over the covered dual spacecraft, CALIPSO and CloudSat, for the move to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0661

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Pro...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transport canister is prepared for lifting. It will be placed over the co... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Workers in the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California prepare the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat for placement inside the transport canister and the move to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0662

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Workers in the Astrotech Payload...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Workers in the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California prepare the covered dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat for placement insid... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a crane lifts the transport canister covering the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat. The spacecraft is being moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. KSC-06pd0670

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Pro...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a crane lifts the transport canister covering the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and C... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat, covered by a transport canister, is lowered onto a transporter. The spacecraft is being moved to Space Launch Complex 2. There the spacecraft will be lifted and mated with a Boeing Delta II rocket for launch on April 21. CALIPSO stands for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation. It will fly in combination with the CloudSat satellite to provide never-before-seen 3-D perspectives of how clouds and aerosols form, evolve, and affect weather and climate. CALIPSO and CloudSat will join three other satellites in orbit to enhance understanding of climate systems. Launch of CALIPSO/CloudSat is scheduled for April 21. KSC-06pd0673

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Pr...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - Inside the Astrotech Payload Processing Facility on Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the dual spacecraft CALIPSO and CloudSat, covered by a transport canister, is ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved into the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begin prelaunch activities. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0613

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's G...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved into the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begi... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is removed from the truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begin prelaunch activities. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0612

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's G...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is removed from the truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is removed from the truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center to begin prelaunch activities. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0611

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's G...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is removed from the truck at the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, workers maneuver the shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, into place. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0614

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, workers maneuver the shipping container holding NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, the shipping container covering NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted. Workers will prepare for a complete checkout of the telescope's scientific instruments. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0615

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, the shipping container covering NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted. Work... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, workers check NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, after removal of the shipping container. The workers will prepare for a complete checkout of the telescope's scientific instruments. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0617

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, workers check NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, after removal of the shipping cont... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, the shipping container covering NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted to reveal the protected equipment inside. Workers will prepare for a complete checkout of the telescope's scientific instruments. The GLAST will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0616

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility near the Kennedy Space Center, the shipping container covering NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted to rev... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians secure NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, on a work stand as the overhead crane is lifted away. GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0654

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians secure NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, on a work stand as the overhead crane is li... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility begin removing the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The space telescope will be moved to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0644

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the As...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility begin removing the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The spa... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, sits uncovered before its move to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0646

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fa...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, sits uncovered before its move to a work stand in the facility for a complete... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians lower a crane over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. After the crane is securely attached, the GLAST will be lifted and moved to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0647

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians lower a crane over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. After the crane is securely a... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A General Dynamics technician in the Astrotech payload processing facility releases a corner of the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, after its arrival. GLAST will be moved to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the telescope's scientific instruments. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0643

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A General Dynamics technician in the A...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A General Dynamics technician in the Astrotech payload processing facility releases a corner of the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, a... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted and begins moving toward the work stand in the foreground. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0649

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lifted and begins moving toward ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility remove the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The space telescope will be moved to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0645

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the As...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- General Dynamics technicians in the Astrotech payload processing facility remove the protective cover over NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The space teles... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved toward a work stand (at left) in the facility. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0651

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved toward a work stand (at le... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians check NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, as an overhead crane is lowered over it. After the crane is securely attached, the GLAST will be lifted and moved to a work stand in the facility for a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0648

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians check NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, as an overhead crane is lowered over it. A... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians secure NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, onto a work stand. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0653

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians secure NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, onto a work stand. There GLAST will under... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lowered onto a work stand. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. . The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0652

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is lowered onto a work stand. Ther... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved toward a work stand (at left) in the facility. There GLAST will undergo a complete checkout of the scientific instruments aboard. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-08pd0650

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing fac...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians keep watch as NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, is moved toward a work stand (at le... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians prepare to install the twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0761

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians prepare to install the twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians install the second of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0770

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians install the second of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The te... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians install one of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0766

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians install one of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescop... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, one of twin solar arrays awaits processing as General Dynamics technicians install the other of the pair on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0768

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, one of twin solar arrays awaits processing as General Dynamics technicians install the other of the pair on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Are... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians use a socket wrench equipped with a torque meter to tighten the bolts holding one of twin solar arrays to NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0767

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians use a socket wrench equipped with a torque meter to tighten the bolts holding one of twin solar arrays to... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians move the second of twin solar arrays toward NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0769

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians move the second of twin solar arrays toward NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians guide one of twin solar arrays toward NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0764

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians guide one of twin solar arrays toward NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telesc... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians lift one of twin solar arrays that will be installed on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0763

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, General Dynamics technicians lift one of twin solar arrays that will be installed on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or G... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician studies one of twin solar arrays that will be installed on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0762

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician studies one of twin solar arrays that will be installed on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, ... More

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, one of twin solar arrays is positioned on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0765

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing faci...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Astrotech payload processing facility, one of twin solar arrays is positioned on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician finishes the installation of the second of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-08pd0771

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician finishes the installation of the second of twin solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope,... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician prepares to test the deployment mechanism of the solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-08pd0782

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician prepares to test the deployment mechanism of the solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician prepares to test the deployment mechanism on the solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-08pd0781

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, a General Dynamics technician prepares to test the deployment mechanism on the solar arrays on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, the mechanism on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, solar arrays has been released. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-08pd0783

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, the mechanism on NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, solar arrays has been released. The telescope will launch aboard ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, completes the test of the deployment mechanism on its solar arrays. The telescope will launch aboard a Delta II rocket May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. A powerful space observatory, the GLAST will explore the most extreme environments in the universe, and answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays. It also will study the mystery of powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-08pd0784

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. --- In the Astrotech payload processing facility, NASA's Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, completes the test of the deployment mechanism on its solar arrays. The telescope w... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the shipping container holding NASA's Kepler spacecraft is moved into a clean room. After removal from the container, the spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1019

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the shipping container holding NASA's Kepler spacecraft is moved into a clean room. After removal from the container, th... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is rolled into a clean room. The spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1025

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is rolled into a clean room. The spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is rolled out of its shipping container. The spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1024

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is rolled out of its shipping container. The spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., doors are opened on the shipping container holding NASA's Kepler spacecraft. After removal from the container, the spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1021

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., doors are opened on the shipping container holding NASA's Kepler spacecraft. After removal from the container, the space... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare the mobile stand for removal of NASA's Kepler spacecraft from its shipping container. After its removal, the spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1023

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare the mobile stand for removal of NASA's Kepler spacecraft from its shipping container. After its removal,... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In a clean room at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare to rotate NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will then be uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1026

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In a clean room at the Astrotech payload proce...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In a clean room at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare to rotate NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will then be uncovered and prepared for initi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., doors are opened on the shipping container holding NASA's Kepler spacecraft. After removal from the container, the spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1020

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., doors are opened on the shipping container holding NASA's Kepler spacecraft. After removal from the container, the space... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In a clean room at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare to rotate NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will then be uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1027

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In a clean room at the Astrotech payload proce...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In a clean room at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers prepare to rotate NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will then be uncovered and prepared for initi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the open doors of the shipping container reveal NASA's Kepler spacecraft. After removal from the container, the spacecraft will be rotated to vertical, uncovered and prepared for initial testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Chris Rhodes KSC-2009-1022

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the open doors of the shipping container reveal NASA's Kepler spacecraft. After removal from the container, the spacecra... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1043

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey ou... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers from Ball Aerospace check the Star Trackers on NASA's Kepler spacecraft before testing. Star Trackers are small aperture, space-qualified optical products which assure a spacecraft’s accurate navigation in space. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1041

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers from Ball Aerospace check the Star Trackers on NASA's Kepler spacecraft before testing. Star Trackers are small ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1044

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey ou... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1046

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey ou... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers from Ball Aerospace check the star trackers on NASA's Kepler spacecraft before testing. Star Trackers are small aperture, space-qualified optical products which assure a spacecraft’s accurate navigation in space. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1042

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers from Ball Aerospace check the star trackers on NASA's Kepler spacecraft before testing. Star Trackers are small ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1045

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is prepared for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey ou... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is unbagged. The spacecraft will undergo initial testing before launch. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1039

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., NASA's Kepler spacecraft is unbagged. The spacecraft will undergo initial testing before launch. A NASA Discovery missio... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a worker inspects the high-gain antenna on NASA's Kepler spacecraft in preparation for testing. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1040

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a worker inspects the high-gain antenna on NASA's Kepler spacecraft in preparation for testing. A NASA Discovery mission... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1101

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discove... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1102

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discove... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1099

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discove... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1100

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discove... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. technician Phil Mislinski checks data from the light sensor test conducted on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Ball Aerospace was responsible for the flight segment design and fabrication. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1104

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. technician Phil Mislinski checks data from the light sensor test conducted on N... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1103

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. worker conducts a light sensor test on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. A NASA Discove... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. technician Phil Mislinski checks data from the light sensor test conducted on NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Ball Aerospace was responsible for the flight segment design and fabrication. A NASA Discovery mission, Kepler is specifically designed to survey our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets. Results from this mission will allow us to place our solar system within the continuum of planetary systems in the Galaxy. After processing at Astrotech, Kepler will be carried to its launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. .NASA's planet-hunting Kepler mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 5 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-2009-1105

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility ...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., a Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. technician Phil Mislinski checks data from the light sensor test conducted on N... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, an overhead crane carries NASA's Kepler spacecraft toward a mobile stand to be covered and moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1466

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, a...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, an overhead crane carries NASA's Kepler spacecraft toward a mobile stand to be covered and moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fue... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the protective cover is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1468

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the protective cover is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for f... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians secure the protective cover over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1471

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, technicians secure the protective cover over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, an overhead crane lifts NASA's Kepler spacecraft from a work stand. Kepler will be moved to a mobile stand to be covered and moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1465

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, a...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, an overhead crane lifts NASA's Kepler spacecraft from a work stand. Kepler will be moved to a mobile stand to be covered and moved to the Ha... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the second cover is placed over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1470

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the second cover is placed over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, another protective cover is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1469

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, a...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, another protective cover is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility f... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the protective cover at right is lifted toward NASA's Kepler spacecraft at left. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently planned for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Space Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1467

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, t...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility, the protective cover at right is lifted toward NASA's Kepler spacecraft at left. When covered, Kepler will be moved to the Hazardous Processi... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, is being prepared for transfer to Launch Complex 576-E. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB KSC-2009-1726

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload process...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, is being prepared for transfer to Laun... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers help guide NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, into place on a transporter. The spacecraft will be moved to Launch Complex 576-E. An umbilical line is attached. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB KSC-2009-1729

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload process...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers help guide NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, into place on a tra... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers secure an overhead crane to NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO. The spacecraft will be moved to a transporter for the trip to Launch Complex 576-E. An umbilical line (left) has been attached. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB KSC-2009-1727

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload process...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers secure an overhead crane to NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO. T... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transporter holding NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, is ready to leave the Astrotech payload processing facility for Launch Complex 576-E. An umbilical line is attached. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB KSC-2009-1730

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in ...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transporter holding NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, is ready to leave the Astrotech payload processing facility ... More

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers keep watch as a crane lifts and moves NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, to a transporter (foreground). OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB KSC-2009-1728

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload process...

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers keep watch as a crane lifts and moves NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft where it will be attached to the lower segments. The canister surrounding Kepler provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1696

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lowered over NASA's Kepler spacecraft where it will be attached to the lower segments. The c... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers help guide the canister segment for NASA's Kepler spacecraft as it is lifted toward workers above. The segment will be added to the stack around Kepler. The "canning" provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1691

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers help guide the canister segment for NASA's Kepler spacecraft as it is lifted toward workers above. The segment ... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lifted over NASA's Kepler spacecraft where it will be attached to the lower segments. The canister surrounding Kepler provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1695

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lifted over NASA's Kepler spacecraft where it will be attached to the lower segments. The ca... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers place the lower segments of the canister around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1689

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers place the lower segments of the canister around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection dur... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers place the second row of canister segments around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1690

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., workers place the second row of canister segments around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection du... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lifted for a move to the unfinished canister at left. The canister surrounding NASA's Kepler spacecraft provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1694

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister is lifted for a move to the unfinished canister at left. The canister surrounding NASA's Kepler... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., another segment of the canister is added to the stack around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1692

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., another segment of the canister is added to the stack around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., four levels of canister segments have been installed around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1693

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility i...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., four levels of canister segments have been installed around NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The "canning" provides protection... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister has been attached to the lower segments encasing NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The canister surrounding Kepler provides protection during the spacecraft's transport to the pad. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder KSC-2009-1697

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla., the top of the canister has been attached to the lower segments encasing NASA's Kepler spacecraft. The canister surroundi... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Kepler spacecraft, enclosed in a canister and protective cover, is ready to leave the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Kepler is being moved to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1698

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Kepler spacecraft, enclosed in a caniste...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Kepler spacecraft, enclosed in a canister and protective cover, is ready to leave the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Kepler is being moved to Launch Pad... More

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Kepler spacecraft, enclosed in a canister and protective cover, leaves the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Kepler is being moved to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.The liftoff of Kepler aboard a Delta II rocket is currently targeted for 10:48 p.m. EST March 5 from Pad 17-B. Kepler is designed to survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy to determine the number of sun-like stars that have Earth-size and larger planets, including those that lie in a star's "habitable zone," a region where liquid water, and perhaps life, could exist. If these Earth-size worlds do exist around stars like our sun, Kepler is expected to be the first to find them and the first to measure how common they are. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-1699

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Kepler spacecraft, enclosed in a canist...

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Kepler spacecraft, enclosed in a canister and protective cover, leaves the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. Kepler is being moved to Launch Pad 17-B at C... More

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