KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers watch as the upper transportation canister is lowered over the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will be attached to the bottom segments already in place. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers place the lower segments of the transportation canister around the upper stage booster beneath the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers move the platform with the Dawn spacecraft. They are preparing to install the transportation canister around Dawn for transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers guide the upper transportation canister toward the Dawn spacecraft in the background. The canister will be lowered onto the lower segments and attached. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers ensure the upper transportation canister is securely attached to the lower segments. The transportation canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers guide the upper transportation canister as it is lowered onto the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will be attached to the bottom segments already in place. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers check the fitting on the lower transportation canister segments in place around the upper stage booster beneath the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers place another segment of the transportation canister around the upper stage booster beneath the Dawn spacecraft. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers ensure the upper transportation canister is securely attached to the lower segments. The canister will protect the spacecraft and booster during transfer to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS). During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Launch via a Delta II rocket is scheduled in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This aerial view shows the Delta launch pads on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. In the upper left background, appearing very small, is NASA Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building. Photo credit: Cory Huston

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This aerial view shows the Delta II launch pads at Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, rimmed by the blue Atlantic Ocean in the background. Photo credit: Cory Huston

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This logo represents the mission of the Dawn spacecraft. During its nearly decade-long mission, Dawn will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. The mission hopes to unlock some of the mysteries of planetary formation, including the building blocks and the processes leading to their state today. The Dawn mission is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida, workers check the first stage of a Delta II rocket before it is lifted into the mobile service tower. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first stage of a Delta II rocket arrives on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program and will be raised and lifted into the mobile service tower for processing. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida, the first stage of a Delta II rocket is lifted off its transporter. It will be raised to vertical and lifted into the mobile service tower for processing. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida, the first stage of a Delta II rocket is raised to vertical before it can be moved into the mobile service tower for processing. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida, the first stage of a Delta II rocket is ready to be lifted into the mobile service tower. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida, the first stage of a Delta II rocket is prepared to lift it into the mobile service tower for processing. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program . STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida, the first stage of a Delta II rocket is lifted into the mobile service tower. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first stage of a Delta II rocket arrives on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 17-B in Florida. The rocket is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrators Program and will be raised and lifted into the mobile service tower for processing. STSS Demonstrators Program is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a third solid rocket booster is raised from the transporter. It will join the others in the mobile service tower for attachment to the Delta II rocket that will launch the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a third solid rocket booster is raised from the transporter. It will join the others in the mobile service tower for attachment to the Delta II rocket that will launch the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first stage of the Delta II rocket waits on the gantry for the solid rocket boosters. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a third solid rocket booster is lifted into the mobile service tower next to the other two. The boosters will be attached to the Delta II rocket that will launch the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, solid rocket boosters are lifted into the mobile service tower. The boosters will be attached to the Delta II rocket that will launch the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, solid rocket boosters are lifted into the mobile service tower. The boosters will be attached to the Delta II rocket that will launch the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the mobile service tower at right moves closer to the first stage of the Delta II rocket. The boosters in the tower will be attached to the rocket for launch of the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first stage of the Delta II rocket in the background waits for the mobile service tower and the solid rocket boosters (top foreground) that will be attached. The Delta II is the launch vehicle for the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the mobile service tower encloses the first stage of the Delta II rocket. The boosters in the tower will be attached to the rocket for launch of the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Complex 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the mobile service tower at right moves toward the first stage of the Delta II rocket. The boosters in the tower will be attached to the rocket for launch of the STSS Demonstrator spacecraft. The STSS Demonstrators is a midcourse tracking technology demonstrator and is part of an evolving ballistic missile defense system. STSS is capable of tracking objects after boost phase and provides trajectory information to other sensors. It will be launched by NASA for the Missile Defense Agency on July 29. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Spectrum Astro Inc. technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida lower the protective cover over the Swift spacecraft before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A Boeing technician in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida attaches two of the lower segments of the payload transfer canister being installed around the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. secure the plastic cover around the Swift spacecraft before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. prepare to cover the Swift spacecraft with plastic before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida install a second ring of segments of the payload transfer canister around the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at NASA’s Hangar AE, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), help guide the Swift spacecraft being lowered onto a payload attach fitting, the interface between the spacecraft and the second stage of the Boeing Delta II rocket. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. Swift is expected to observe more than 200 gamma-ray bursts - the most comprehensive study of GRB afterglows to date - during its 2-year mission. Swift is scheduled to launch in November from Launch Pad 17-A at CCAFS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. secure the plastic cover around the Swift spacecraft before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. prepare to cover the Swift spacecraft with plastic before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. complete securing the plastic cover around the Swift spacecraft before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. prepare to lower the protective cover over the Swift spacecraft before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida attach the top of the payload transfer canister to the lower segments that surround the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft. The top holds an additional cover that will be lowered into place over the canister. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida maneuver a segment of the payload transfer canister into place around the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida, technicians with Spectrum Astro Inc. lower the protective cover over the Swift spacecraft before moving it to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A technician at NASA’s Hangar AE, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), prepares the Swift spacecraft to be lifted off its workstand. The spacecraft will be mated to a payload attach fitting, the interface between the spacecraft and the second stage of the Boeing Delta II rocket. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. Swift is expected to observe more than 200 gamma-ray bursts - the most comprehensive study of GRB afterglows to date - during its 2-year mission. Swift is scheduled to launch in November from Launch Pad 17-A at CCAFS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at NASA’s Hangar AE, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), help guide the Swift spacecraft being lowered onto a payload attach fitting, the interface between the spacecraft and the second stage of the Boeing Delta II rocket. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. Swift is expected to observe more than 200 gamma-ray bursts - the most comprehensive study of GRB afterglows to date - during its 2-year mission. Swift is scheduled to launch in November from Launch Pad 17-A at CCAFS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida install the lower part of the payload transfer canister around the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida secure bands around the payload transfer canister to hold the plastic cover in place. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Boeing technicians in Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida set up segments of the payload transfer canister that will be installed around the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at NASA’s Hangar AE, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), check the attachment of the Swift spacecraft to the payload attach fitting, the interface between the spacecraft and the second stage of the Boeing Delta II rocket. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. Swift is expected to observe more than 200 gamma-ray bursts - the most comprehensive study of GRB afterglows to date - during its 2-year mission. Swift is scheduled to launch in November from Launch Pad 17-A at CCAFS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at NASA’s Hangar AE, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), stand by while the Swift spacecraft is lowered toward a payload attach fitting, the interface between the spacecraft and the second stage of the Boeing Delta II rocket. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst (GRB) science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. Swift is expected to observe more than 200 gamma-ray bursts - the most comprehensive study of GRB afterglows to date - during its 2-year mission. Swift is scheduled to launch in November from Launch Pad 17-A at CCAFS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage is revealed after the cover was removed from the truck trailer that delivered it. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The truck carrying the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage backs into Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II second stage for GLAST has arrived at Hangar M and is moved into place for weighing. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers in Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida open the truck trailer to offload the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers prepare the Delta II second stage for GLAST for weighing. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage is revealed after the cover was removed from the truck that delivered it. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers in Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida get ready to remove the lid on the truck trailer to offload the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage. Visible is the engine of the first stage. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II second stage for GLAST has arrived at Hangar M and is prepared for weighing. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, May 16 from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage is revealed after the cover was removed from the truck trailer that delivered it. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The truck carrying the United Launch Alliance Delta II first stage arrives at Hangar M on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta rocket will be used to launch the Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope, or GLAST, in May from Launch Pad 17-B on CCAFS. The GLAST is a powerful space observatory that will explore the Universe's ultimate frontier, where nature harnesses forces and energies far beyond anything possible on Earth; probe some of science's deepest questions, such as what our Universe is made of, and search for new laws of physics; explain how black holes accelerate jets of material to nearly light speed; and help crack the mystery of stupendously powerful explosions known as gamma-ray bursts. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Swift spacecraft, fully encased inside the payload transfer canister, is secured on a transport vehicle for a trip to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

Workers in the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 (SAEF-2)secure an overhead crane to the crate containing the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The spacecraft will undergo final assembly and checkout, which includes installation of two of the three science instruments, integration of the three-panel solar array, and a spacecraft functional test. Launch aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from Pad A, Complex 17, CCAFS, is planned for April 7, 2001 the first day of a 21-day planetary window. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on Oct. 20, 2001, for insertion into an initial elliptical capture orbit. Its final operational altitude will be a 250-mile-high, Sun-synchronous polar orbit. Mars Odyssey will spend two years mapping the planet’s surface and measuring its environment

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After rollback of the Mobile Service Tower (right), the Delta II rocket with the Genesis spacecraft on top sits on Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, ready for liftoff. A gray overcast sky forecasts a questionable launch effort due to weather conditions. Genesis will be on a robotic NASA space mission to collect just 10 to 20 micrograms -- or the weight of a few grains of salt -- of solar wind, invisible charged particles that flow outward from the Sun -- and return them to Earth. This treasured smidgen of the Sun will be preserved in a special laboratory for study by scientists over the next century in search of answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our solar system. The Genesis launch is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2001, from CCAFS

In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 , an overhead crane lifts the crate covering the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The spacecraft, which arrived from Denver, Colo., Jan. 4, will undergo final assembly and checkout. That includes installation of two of the three science instruments, integration of the three-panel solar array, and a spacecraft functional test. Launch aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from Pad A, Complex 17, CCAFS, is planned for April 7, 2001 the first day of a 21-day planetary window. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on Oct. 20, 2001, for insertion into an initial elliptical capture orbit. Its final operational altitude will be a 250-mile-high, Sun-synchronous polar orbit. Mars Odyssey will spend two years mapping the planet’s surface and measuring its environment

Workers in the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 move the shipping crate away from the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, at left on the stand. Odyssey is still covered by a protective sheet. The spacecraft, which arrived from Denver, Colo., Jan. 4, will undergo final assembly and checkout in the SAEF-2. That includes installation of two of the three science instruments, integration of the three-panel solar array, and a spacecraft functional test. Launch aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from Pad A, Complex 17, CCAFS, is planned for April 7, 2001 the first day of a 21-day planetary window. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on Oct. 20, 2001, for insertion into an initial elliptical capture orbit. Its final operational altitude will be a 250-mile-high, Sun-synchronous polar orbit. Mars Odyssey will spend two years mapping the planet’s surface and measuring its environment

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After rollback of the Mobile Service Tower (right), the Delta II rocket with the Genesis spacecraft on top sits on Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, ready for liftoff. Genesis will be on a robotic NASA space mission to collect just 10 to 20 micrograms -- or the weight of a few grains of salt -- of solar wind, invisible charged particles that flow outward from the Sun -- and return them to Earth. This treasured smidgen of the Sun will be preserved in a special laboratory for study by scientists over the next century in search of answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our solar system. The Genesis launch is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2001, from CCAFS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - With four rows of payload transfer canister segments in place around the plastic-wrapped Swift spacecraft, Boeing technicians lower the top into place. The top holds an additional cover that will be lowered into place over the canister. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Swift spacecraft, fully encased inside the payload transfer canister, is lifted onto a transport vehicle for a trip to the launch pad. The launch of the Swift observatory, a NASA spacecraft to pinpoint the location of gamma-ray bursts, is scheduled for Nov. 17 from Pad 17-A on CCAFS. Liftoff aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket is targeted at the opening of a one-hour launch window beginning at 12:09 p.m. EST. Gamma-ray bursts are distant, yet fleeting explosions that appear to signal the births of black holes. They are the most powerful explosions known in the universe, emitting more than 100 billion times the energy that the Sun emits in a year. Yet they last only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes, never to appear in the same spot again.

In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2, workers place a protective barrier around the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Odyssey will undergo final assembly and checkout in the SAEf-2, which includes installation of two of the three science instruments, integration of the three-panel solar array, and a spacecraft functional test. Odyssey, which arrived from Denver, Colo., Jan. 4, will be launched aboard a Boeing Delta II vehicle from Pad A, Complex 17, CCAFS. Launch is planned for April 7, 2001 the first day of a 21-day planetary window. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on Oct. 20, 2001, for insertion into an initial elliptical capture orbit. Its final operational altitude will be a 250-mile-high, Sun-synchronous polar orbit. Mars Odyssey will spend two years mapping the planet’s surface and measuring its environment

In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2, the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft sits on a workstand, ready for final assembly and checkout. That includes installation of two of the three science instruments, integration of the three-panel solar array, and a spacecraft functional test. Odyssey, which arrived from Denver, Colo., Jan. 4, will be launched aboard a Boeing Delta II vehicle from Pad A, Complex 17, CCAFS. Launch is planned for April 7, 2001 the first day of a 21-day planetary window. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on Oct. 20, 2001, for insertion into an initial elliptical capture orbit. Its final operational altitude will be a 250-mile-high, Sun-synchronous polar orbit. Mars Odyssey will spend two years mapping the planet’s surface and measuring its environment

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- At Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Genesis spacecraft is lowered into place on the Boeing Delta II rocket. Genesis will be on a robotic NASA space mission to catch a wisp of the raw material of the Sun and return it to Earth with a spectacular mid-air helicopter capture. The sample return capsule is 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter and 52 inches (1.31 meters) tall. The mission’s goal is to collect and return to Earth just 10 to 20 micrograms -- or the weight of a few grains of salt -- of solar wind, invisible charged particles that flow outward from the Sun. This treasured smidgen of the Sun will be preserved in a special laboratory for study by scientists over the next century in search of answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our solar system. The Genesis launch is scheduled for 12:36 p.m. EDT on July 30 from CCAFS

In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2, workers remove the protective sheet from around the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. Odyssey, which arrived from Denver, Colo., Jan. 4, will undergo final assembly and checkout in the SAEF-2. That includes installation of two of the three science instruments, integration of the three-panel solar array, and a spacecraft functional test. Launch aboard a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from Pad A, Complex 17, CCAFS, is planned for April 7, 2001 the first day of a 21-day planetary window. The spacecraft will arrive at Mars on Oct. 20, 2001, for insertion into an initial elliptical capture orbit. Its final operational altitude will be a 250-mile-high, Sun-synchronous polar orbit. Mars Odyssey will spend two years mapping the planet’s surface and measuring its environment

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After rollback of the Mobile Service Tower (right), the Delta II rocket with the Genesis spacecraft on top sits on Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, ready for liftoff. Genesis will be on a robotic NASA space mission to collect just 10 to 20 micrograms -- or the weight of a few grains of salt -- of solar wind, invisible charged particles that flow outward from the Sun -- and return them to Earth. This treasured smidgen of the Sun will be preserved in a special laboratory for study by scientists over the next century in search of answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our solar system. The Genesis launch is scheduled for Aug. 1, 2001, from CCAFS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers in the mobile service tower keep watch as the Dawn spacecraft is lowered toward the awaiting Delta II rocket. Dawn will be mated with the Delta in preparation for launch. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft is lowered toward the awaiting Delta II rocket in the mobile service tower. Dawn will be mated with the Delta in preparation for launch. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft is moved toward the opening above the Delta II rocket in the mobile service tower. Dawn will be mated with the Delta in preparation for launch. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers remove the transportation canister from around the Dawn spacecraft. After removal of the canister, Dawn will be mated with the waiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. EDT Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers remove the lower segments of the transportation canister away from the Dawn spacecraft. After removal of the canister, Dawn will be mated with the waiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. EDT Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Dawn spacecraft is moved out of the Astrotech Space Operations facility, on its way to Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, Dawn will be lifted into the mobile service tower and prepared for mating with the awaiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Dawn spacecraft arrives on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At the pad, Dawn will be lifted into the mobile service tower and prepared for mating with the awaiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft is lifted alongside the mobile service tower. At the top, Dawn will be prepared for mating with the awaiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft is ready for mating with the waiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. EDT Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft is lifted off its transporter. Dawn will be lifted into the mobile service tower and prepared for mating with the awaiting Delta II rocket.Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- After its canister has been removed, the Genesis spacecraft sits in place atop the Boeing Delta II rocket in the tower at Launch Complex 17-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Genesis will be on a robotic NASA space mission to catch a wisp of the raw material of the Sun and return it to Earth with a spectacular mid-air helicopter capture. The sample return capsule is 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter and 52 inches (1.31 meters) tall. The mission’s goal is to collect and return to Earth just 10 to 20 micrograms -- or the weight of a few grains of salt -- of solar wind, invisible charged particles that flow outward from the Sun. This treasured smidgen of the Sun will be preserved in a special laboratory for study by scientists over the next century in search of answers to fundamental questions about the exact composition of our star and the birth of our solar system. The Genesis launch is scheduled for 12:36 p.m. EDT on July 30 from CCAFS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft arrives at the upper level of the mobile service tower. It will be moved inside and prepared for mating with the awaiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the upper transportation canister is lifted away from the Dawn spacecraft. After removal of the canister, Dawn will be mated with the waiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. EDT Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Dawn spacecraft is lifted alongside the mobile service tower. At the top, Dawn will be prepared for mating with the awaiting Delta II rocket. Dawn is scheduled for launch in a window from 7:25 to 7:54 a.m. Sept. 26 from CCAFS. During its nearly decade-long mission, the Dawn mission will study the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, celestial bodies believed to have accreted early in the history of the solar system. To carry out its scientific mission, the Dawn spacecraft will carry a visible camera, a visible and infrared mapping spectrometer, and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, whose data will be used in combination to characterize these bodies. In addition to the three instruments, radiometric and optical navigation data will provide data relating to the gravity field and thus bulk properties and internal structure of the two bodies. Data returned from the Dawn spacecraft could provide opportunities for significant breakthroughs in our knowledge of how the solar system formed. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller