CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The Centaur upper stage is transported to the Vertical Integration Facility near Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, where it will be lifted onto the Atlas V first stage. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the Centaur upper stage is moved inside the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the crane begins lifting the Centaur upper stage into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the Centaur upper stage is raised from its transporter. When it is vertical, it will be lifted into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the Centaur upper stage is raised from its transporter. When it is vertical, it will be lifted into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the crane lifts the Centaur upper stage into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, seen in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the Centaur upper stage is raised from its transporter. When it is vertical, it will be lifted into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the Centaur upper stage is moved into place in the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, seen below it. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the Centaur upper stage is nearly vertical. It will be lifted into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The Centaur upper stage leaves the Atlas Space Operations Facility in Titusville, Fla. It is being transferred to the Vertical Integration Facility near Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, where it will be lifted onto the Atlas V first stage. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The Centaur upper stage is transported to the Vertical Integration Facility near Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, where it will be lifted onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the crane lifts the Centaur upper stage into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, cranes are attached to the Centaur upper stage in order to raise it to vertical. It will be lifted into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The Centaur upper stage arrives at the Vertical Integration Facility near Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, where it will be lifted onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– The Centaur upper stage is transported to the Vertical Integration Facility near Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, where it will be lifted onto the Atlas V first stage. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– On Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, the crane lifts the Centaur upper stage into the Vertical Integration Facility for installation onto the Atlas V first stage, already in the tower. The Atlas V/Centaur is the launch vehicle for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS. LCROSS and LRO are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller