VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the NASA payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers conduct solar array illumination on the NOAA-N Prime satellite. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Robert Hargreaves Jr., VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The NOAA-N Prime satellite, enclosed in a canister for travel, is lifted alongside the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. In the tower, the satellite will be encapsulated and installed on the launch vehicle, a Delta II rocket. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the NASA payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers complete the solar array illumination on the NOAA-N Prime satellite. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Robert Hargreaves Jr., VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The NOAA-N Prime satellite, enclosed in a canister for travel, is lifted alongside the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. In the tower, the satellite will be encapsulated and installed on the launch vehicle, a Delta II rocket. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The NOAA-N Prime satellite is lifted to the top of the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. In the tower, the satellite will be encapsulated and installed on the launch vehicle, a Delta II rocket. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the NASA payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers conduct solar array illumination on the NOAA-N Prime satellite. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Robert Hargreaves Jr., VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the NASA payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the NOAA-N Prime satellite undergoes solar array illumination. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Robert Hargreaves Jr., VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The NOAA-N Prime satellite, enclosed in a canister for travel, is prepared for its lift into the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. In the tower, the satellite will be encapsulated and installed on the launch vehicle, a Delta II rocket. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The NOAA-N Prime satellite, enclosed in a canister for travel, arrives on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The container will be lifted into the mobile service tower for encapsulation and installation on the launch vehicle, a Delta II rocket. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The second half of the fairing is moved into place around the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft in the launch service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The fairing is a molded structure that fits flush with the outside surface of the rocket and forms an aerodynamically smooth nose cone, protecting the spacecraft during launch and ascent. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard the Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The two halves of the fairing are closed around the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft in the launch service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The fairing is a molded structure that fits flush with the outside surface of the rocket and forms an aerodynamically smooth nose cone, protecting the spacecraft during launch and ascent. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard the Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley, VAFB

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the mobile service tower on Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the NOAA-N Prime spacecraft is closed out for encapsulation and installation on the launch vehicle, a Delta II rocket. NOAA-N Prime is the latest polar-orbiting operational environmental weather satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The satellite is scheduled to launch Feb. 4 aboard the Delta II from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB