The Kuiper Quadrangle was named in memory of Dr. Gerard Kuiper, an imaging team member, and well-known astronomer, of NASA Mariner 10 Venus/Mercury. The Kuiper crater is seen left of center in this image.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is of the northern half of Mercury Shakespeare Quadrangle. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00066

After passing on the darkside of the planet, NASA Mariner 10 photographed the other, somewhat more illuminated hemisphere of Mercury. The north pole is at the top, two-thirds down from which is the equator.

One of NASA Mariner 10 two TV cameras took this picture of a densely cratered region of Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974, 80 minutes prior to the spacecraft second close encounter with the planet.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, features a 140 kilometer diameter crater and its surrounding zone of secondary craters. T

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows a crater just north of the Caloris Planitia displays interior and central peaks rising up from a hilly floor.

This photograph of Mercury, taken by NASA Mariner 10, shows two prominent rayed craters. Bright halos extend as far as 2 crater diameters beyond crater rims. Individual rays extend from halo.

NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft was coaxed into a third and final encounter with Mercury in March of 1975. This is one of the highest resolution images of Mercury acquired by the spacecraft. The prominent scarp snaking up the image was named Discovery Rupes.

NASA Mariner 10 photo reveals a heavily cratered terrain on Mercury with a prominent scrap extending several hundred kilometers across the upper left. A crater, nested in a larger crater, is at top center.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, includes part of the floor of the Caloris basin showing the ridges and fractures.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows plains filling this basin are uniformly brighter and slightly redder than the surrounding cratered terrain.

NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft was coaxed into a third and final encounter with Mercury in March of 1975. This is one of the highest resolution images of Mercury acquired by the spacecraft.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is of the Michelangelo Quadrangle, which lies in Mercury southern polar region. The Mercurian surface is heavily marred by numerous impact craters.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is a high-resolution picture of a 65-kilometer diameter crater and the scarp transecting its floor.

This computer generated photomosaic from NASA Mariner 10 is of the southern half of Mercury Shakespeare Quadrangle, named for the ancient Shakespeare crater located on the upper edge to the left of center.

A field of bright rays, created by ejecta from a crater, radiating to the north top from off camera lower right is seen in this view of Mercury taken Sept. 21, 1974 by NASA Mariner 10.

NASA Mariner 10 took this picture of the densely cratered surface of Mercury when the spacecraft was 18,200 kilometers 8085 miles from the planet on March 29, 1974.

This crater illustrates the narrow hummocky rim facies, radial ridges, and surrounding extensive field of secondary craters. This image of Mercury was taken by NASA Mariner 10.

This double ring basin top center of image was photographed during NASA Mariner 10 second encounter and shows two craters about 30 km in diameter which have been engulfed by smooth plains on the floor of the inner ring.

As NASA Mariner 10 approached Mercury at nearly seven miles per second on March 29, 1974, its TV camera took this picture from an altitude of 35,000 kilometers 21,700 miles The picture shows a heavily-cratered surface with many low hills

Mercury south pole was photographed by one of NASA Mariner 10 TV cameras; the pole is located inside the large crater on Mercury limb lower center.

After passing Mercury the first time and making a trip around the Sun, NASA Mariner 10 again flew by Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974. The south pole is located on the right hand edge of Chao Meng Fu crater that has only its rim sticking up into the light.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows intercrater plains and heavily cratered terrain typical of much of Mercury outside the area affected by the formation of the Caloris basin.

After passing Mercury the first time and making a trip around the Sun, NASA Mariner 10 again flew by Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974. This encounter brought the spacecraft in front of Mercury in the southern hemisphere.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows young craters superposed on smooth plains. Larger young craters have central peaks, flat floors, terraced walls, and radial ejecta deposits.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows a broadly curved lobate scarp running from left to right in the large crater to the right of center in this image.

As NASA Mariner 10 passed by Mercury on its second encounter with the planet on Sept. 21, 1974, this picture of a large circular 350 kilometer, 220 mile diameter basin was obtained near the morning terminator.

This computer photomosaic is of the Caloris Basin, the largest basin on Mercury. NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft imaged the region during its initial flyby of the planet after its launch in 1974.

Updated calibration and subsequent mosaicing led to substantial improvements in NASA Mariner 10 color image data; the spacecraft launched in 1974.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is of the northeastern quadrant of the Caloris basin and shows the smooth hills and domes between the inner and outer scarps and the well-developed radial system east of the outer scarp

This image was taken by NASA Mariner 10 during it first encounter with Mercury in 1974. The scarp forms a broad lobe whose southern end abuts against and follows closely the irregular contour of the crater wall.

The craters in this image NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft, which launched in 1974, have interior rings of mountains and ejecta deposits which are scarred by deep secondary crater chain groves.

A cratered area near Mercury South Pole was photographed by NASA Mariner 10 during its second flyby of the planet of Sept. 21, 1974 the spacecraft made its first encounter with Mercury on March 19, 1974.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows an old basin hummocky rim is partly degraded and cratered by later events.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows that several west-facing lobate scarps occur in the hummocky plains interpreted as Caloris ejecta.

This picture, taken only minutes after NASA Mariner 10 made its closest approach to Mercury, is one of the highest resolution pictures obtained. Abundant craters in various stages of degradation dot the surface.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is of the H-7 Beethoven Quadrangle, and lies in Mercury Equatorial Mercator. NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft imaged the region during its initial flyby of the planet.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows several scarps, which appear to be confined to crater floors. The scarp in the crater at the upper left of the image has been diverted by the central peaks.

After passing Mercury the first time and making a trip around the Sun, NASA Mariner 10 again flew by Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974. This encounter brought the spacecraft in front of Mercury in the southern hemisphere.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows hilly and lineated terrain and a patch of smooth plains in a large degraded crater.

This computer generated photomosaic from NASA Mariner 10 is of the southern half of Mercury Shakespeare Quadrangle, named for the ancient Shakespeare crater located on the upper edge to the left of center. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00067

A fresh new crater in the center of an older crater basin is shown in this picture of the surface of Mercury taken March 29, 1974 by NASA Mariner 10.

Taken about 40 minutes before NASA Mariner 10 made its close approach to Mercury on Sept. 21,1974, this picture shows a large double-ringed basin center of picture located in the planet south polar region

A scarp, or cliff, extends diagonally from upper left to lower right in this picture of Mercury taken by NASA Mariner 10. The structures are believed to be formed by the compressive forces due to crustal shortening.

A faint double ring crater is seen at upper right in this picture of Mercury taken one hour and 40 minutes before NASA Mariner 10 second rendezvous with the planet Sept. 21, 1975

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is of the Borealis area H-1, located in Mercury northern hemisphere. The north pole is visible at the top of the image.

NASA Mariner 10 shows a close-up view of one-half of a circular basin the largest observed on Mercury. Hills and valleys extend in a radial fashion outward from the main ring.

NASA Mariner 10 took this picture some 2 1/2 hours before it passed Mercury on March 29, 1974. The bright-floored crater is the center of a very large bright area which could be seen in pictures from more than two million miles distant

This computer generated mosaic from NASA Mariner 10 is of Mercury Tolstoj Quadrangle, named for the ancient Tolstoj crater located in the lower center of the image. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00068

NASA Mariner 10 took this picture about an hour after it passed under the South Pole of Mercury in 1974.

Intercrater plains and heavily cratered terrain typical of much of Mercury outside the area affected by the formation of the Caloris basin are shown in this image taken during the NASA Mariner 10 first encounter with Mercury in 1974.

A dark, smooth, relatively uncratered area on Mercury was photographed two hours after NASA Mariner 10 flew by the planet. The prominent, sharp crater with a central peak is 30 kilometers 19 miles across.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is located about 500 km east of the Caloris basin and shows hummocky plains interpreted as Caloris ejecta in the upper half of the picture and smooth plains in the lower half.

One of the most prominent lobate scarps Discovery Scarp, photographed by NASA Mariner 10 during it first encounter with Mercury, is located at the center of this image extending from the top to near bottom.

Caloris Basin on Mercury, is one of the largest basins in the solar system, its diameter exceeds 1300 kilometers and is in many ways similar to the great Imbrium basin on the Moon. This image is from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974.

This mosaic, made from over 140 individual TV frames taken about two hours after encounter, shows the planet Mercury as seen by NASA Mariner 10 as it sped away from the planet on March 29, 1974.

During its second encounter with Mercury on Sept. 21, 1974, NASA Mariner 10 took this picture of the planet South Polar Region. Many of the craters have denuded rims peppered by smaller craters.

Cratered terrain very similar to that on the Moon is shown in this TV photo of Mercury taken by NASA Mariner 10. Numerous small craters and linear grooves radial to the crater can be seen.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, shows a scarp upper left corner of the image about 130 kilometers long cutting two craters older crater is at extreme left corner, younger is diagonally below.

Antoniadi Ridge, over 450 kilometers long, runs along the right side of this acquired image during NASA Mariner 10 first encounter with Mercury after its launch in 1974.

This photograph of Mercury was taken by NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft shows smooth plains areas on Mercury that are thought to be volcanic in origin with lava flows filling in heavily cratered areas.

This image, from NASA Mariner 10 spacecraft which launched in 1974, is of the southern hemisphere of Mercury.

NASA Mariner 10 was launched on November 3, 1973, 12:45 am PST, from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas/Centaur rocket a reconditioned Intercontinental Ballistic Missile - ICBM.

Moon North Pole

The image of the Moon left is a mosaic of images from NASA Clementine. The Mercury image right is a NASA Mariner 10 mosaic.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center’s Launch Vehicle Directorate in front of a full-scale model of the Centaur second-stage rocket. The photograph was taken to mark Centaur’s fiftieth launch. NASA Lewis managed the Centaur Program since 1962. At that time, the only prior launch attempt ended in failure. Lewis improved the spacecraft and tested it extensively throughout the early 1960s. In May 1966 an Atlas-Centaur sent the Surveyor spacecraft to the moon. It was the first successful soft landing on another planet. The Launch Vehicles Division was formed in 1969 to handle the increasing number of Centaur launches. The Lewis team became experts at integrating the payload with the Centaur and calculating proper trajectories for the missions. Centaur’s first 50 missions included Orbiting Astronomical Observatories, the Mariner 6 and 7 flybys of Mars, Mariner 9 which was the first spacecraft to orbit around another planet, the Pioneer 10 and 11 missions to the outer solar system, the Mariner 10 flyby of Venus and Mercury, the Viking 1 and 2 Mars landers, Voyagers 1 and 2 missions to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and the Pioneer 12 and 13 flights to Venus.

As it sped away from Venus, NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft captured this seemingly peaceful view of a planet the size of Earth, wrapped in a dense, global cloud layer. But, contrary to its serene appearance, the clouded globe of Venus is a world of intense heat, crushing atmospheric pressure and clouds of corrosive acid. This newly processed image revisits the original data with modern image processing software. A contrast-enhanced version of this view, also provided here, makes features in the planet's thick cloud cover visible in greater detail. The clouds seen here are located about 40 miles (60 kilometers) above the planet's surface, at altitudes where Earth-like atmospheric pressures and temperatures exist. They are comprised of sulfuric acid particles, as opposed to water droplets or ice crystals, as on Earth. These cloud particles are mostly white in appearance; however, patches of red-tinted clouds also can be seen. This is due to the presence of a mysterious material that absorbs light at blue and ultraviolet wavelengths. Many chemicals have been suggested for this mystery component, from sulfur compounds to even biological materials, but a consensus has yet to be reached among researchers. The clouds of Venus whip around the planet at nearly over 200 miles per hour (100 meters per second), circling the globe in about four and a half days. That these hurricane-force winds cover nearly the entire planet is another unexplained mystery, especially given that the solid planet itself rotates at a very slow 4 mph (less than 2 meters per second) — much slower than Earth's rotation rate of about 1,000 mph (450 meters per second). The winds and clouds also blow to the west, not to the east as on the Earth. This is because the planet itself rotates to the west, backward compared to Earth and most of the other planets. As the clouds travel westward, they also typically progress toward the poles; this can be seen in the Mariner 10 view as a curved spiral pattern at mid latitudes. Near the equator, instead of long streaks, areas of more clumpy, discrete clouds can be seen, indicating enhanced upwelling and cloud formation in the equatorial region, spurred on by the enhanced power of sunlight there. This view is a false color composite created by combining images taken using orange and ultraviolet spectral filters on the spacecraft's imaging camera. These were used for the red and blue channels of the color image, respectively, with the green channel synthesized by combining the other two images. Flying past Venus en route to the first-ever flyby of Mercury, Mariner 10 became the first spacecraft to use a gravity assist to change its flight path in order to reach another planet. The images used to create this view were acquired by Mariner 10 on Feb. 7 and 8, 1974, a couple of days after the spacecraft's closest approach to Venus on Feb. 5. Despite their many differences, comparisons between Earth and Venus are valuable for helping to understand their distinct climate histories. Nearly 50 years after this view was obtained, many fundamental questions about Venus remain unanswered. Did Venus have oceans long ago? How has its atmosphere evolved over time, and when did its runaway greenhouse effect begin? How does Venus lose its heat? How volcanically and tectonically active has Venus been over the last billion years? This image was processed from archived Mariner 10 data by JPL engineer Kevin M. Gill. The Mariner 10 mission was managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23791

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare one of two solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft for deployment. The panels will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA Mission Integration Manager Cheryle Mako and NASA Launch Site Integration Manager John Hueckel talk before the deployment of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft behind them. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA Mission Integration Manager Cheryle Mako and NASA Launch Site Integration Manager John Hueckel talk before the deployment of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft behind them. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) monitor the progress of the solar array deployment on the MESSENGER spacecraft. The two panels will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) check one of two solar panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft after a deployment test. The other panel is at right, undeployed. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - - After the deployment test of two solar panels at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft’s complement of hypergolic propellants. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft’s complement of hypergolic propellants. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on a journey to Mercury. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare one of two solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft for deployment. The panels will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare to cover the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft’s complement of hypergolic propellants. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on a journey to Mercury. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., a technician with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) watches as one of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft is deployed. The two panels will provide MESSENGER’s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians check the second solar panel that will be installed on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians secure guide wires on the second solar panel to be installed on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., help guide a solar panel toward NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., maneuver a solar panel into place for installation on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., steady a solar panel suspended from above as others prepare to install it on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At right, technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide into place the second solar panel to be installed on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. At left is the first panel already installed. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians maneuver a second solar panel to a vertical position to move it toward NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., hold steady the second solar panel being installed on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. At left is the first panel already installed. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., attach a bar to a solar panel in order to lift it and move it to NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., look over a solar panel ready to be installed on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide a solar panel closer to NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., adjust a solar panel suspended from above for installation on NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., carry a solar panel toward NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER’s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus’ gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury’s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER’s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Smoke and dust rising from the ground of Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station signifies the destruction of the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 39-A. The tower is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- This panoramic view of Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station shows the two mobile service towers on the ground after their demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 39-A of Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station careens to the left after 122 pounds of explosives eliminated the base. The tower is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 36-B crashes to the ground. It is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Smoke and dust rising from the ground of Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station signifies the destruction of the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 39-A. The tower is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Within sight of the KSC Vehicle Assembly Building (at left on the horizon), the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 39-A of Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station waits for its demise. The tower is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After the dust settles at Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the ruins of the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 39-B are visible. The tower is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The destruction of the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 39-B at Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station kicks up a wall of dust. The tower is one of two that were identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Space Launch Complex 36 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the 209-foot-tall mobile service tower on Pad 36-B has been identified for demolition. The old towers are being toppled as part of the ongoing project to demolish the historic site to prevent corrosion from becoming a safety concern. A majority of the steel will be recycled and the rest will be taken to the landfill at CCAFS. Complex 36 was the birthplace of NASA's planetary launch program. It was built for the Atlas/Centaur development program and was operated under NASA's sponsorship until the late 1980s. Complex 36 hosted many historic missions over the years including Surveyor that landed on the moon and Mariner that orbited Mars and included one to Mercury. Two of the most historic launches were the Pioneer 10 and 11 space probes that were launched to Jupiter and are now outside of the solar system in interstellar space. Also, the historic Pioneer Venus spacecraft included an orbiter and a set of probes that were dispatched to the surface. While Launch Complex 36 is gone, the Atlas/Centaur rocket continues to be launched as the Atlas V from Complex 41. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser