Poised for Discovery
Soil Sample Poised at TEGA Door
NASA's Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace's rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA's Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace's rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA's Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace's rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA’s Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace’s rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA’s Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace’s rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA's Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace's rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA’s Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace’s rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA's Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace's rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
NASA’s Flight Opportunities funds flight of space technology on UP Aerospace’s rocket poised to launch at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
iss069e004825 (April 21, 2023) --- The Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman is poised for release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Ireland.
iss069e004821 (April 21, 2023) --- The Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman is poised for release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm as the International Space Station orbited 262 miles above the north Atlantic Ocean.
NASA's new B-52H mother ship at the ready, with renowned NASA B-52B 008 poised beside.
This image from NASA European Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason-2 shows that the moderate El Niño of the past year has officially bowed out, leaving his cool sibling, La Niña, poised to potentially take the equatorial stage.
It takes around an hour to fill a 39-million-cubic-foot scientific balloon with helium. The EXCITE telescope is poised for launch as the day breaks on August 31st, 2024.
CAPE KENNEDY, Fla. -- At Cape Kennedy Air Force Station in Florida, a Delta C rocket stands poised for liftoff at Launch Complex 17A to boost the Explorer 21 satellite into orbit. Photo Credit: NASA
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 37, NASA and industry leaders pose in front of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy rocket poised to launch the Orion spacecraft on its first flight test.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
iss071e124978 (May 28, 2024) --- The uncrewed Roscosmos Progress 86 cargo craft, packed with trash and obsolete gear, is poised to undock from the International Space Station's Poisk module ending a six-month cargo mission.
A Titan III-C stands poised on Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station for the launch of Application Technology Satellite-F, first in a new generation of NASA communications satellites. (1.3-2)
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Space Shuttle Columbia, (STS-1) stands poised for its maiden flight into space from Launch Pad A, Complex 39, following retraction of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS).
iss060e014978 (July 27, 2019) --- The SpaceX Dragon space freighter approaches the International Space Station as the Canadarm2 robotic arm is poised to reach out and grapple the commercial resupply ship.
iss063e101288 (Oct. 5, 2020) --- The Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter approaches the International Space Station as the Canadarm2 robotic arm is poised to reach out and capture the cargo vehicle.
The Space Shuttle Discovery moves towards Pad "A" on the crawler transporter for its maiden flight. The Shuttle Discovery is poised atop Pad "A" at Complex 39 prior ot the STS-41D mission. KSC, FL
iss063e101271 (Oct. 5, 2020) --- The Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter approaches the International Space Station as the Canadarm2 robotic arm is poised to reach out and capture the cargo vehicle.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
iss063e101293 (Oct. 5, 2020) --- The Northrop Grumman Cygnus space freighter approaches the International Space Station as the Canadarm2 robotic arm is poised to reach out and capture the cargo vehicle.
The Altair unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. for NASA, is poised for flight at GA-ASI's flight test facility at El Mirage, California.
On the 500th arniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, replicas of his three ships sailed past the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) while the space shuttle Columbia sat poised for lift off.
The Apollo 17 Space Vehicle sits poised beneath a full moon on Launch Pad 39A during launch countdown. Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Commander Ronald Evans, Command Module Pilot and Dr. Harrison "Jack" Schmitt, Lunar Module Pilot, will be the crew for the sixth U.S. manned Lunar landing mission.
The Air Force Delta II vehicle sits poised on Complex 17A at the Cape Canaveral Air Station, ready to carry the 19th NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Satellite into orbit. A secondary NASA experiment, the Small Expendable Deployer System (SEDS), will also be deployed.
View of Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) extended arm with a dark,cloudy Earth in the background. Photo was taken by an Expedition 36 crew member on board the International Space Station (ISS). Per Twitter message: #CanadaArm2 poised and ready to support capture of #HTV4 in just a couple weeks.
iss056e096531 (July 15, 2018) --- The Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman, formerly Orbital ATK, was pictured July 15 , 2018, poised for release from the Canadarm2 robotic arm back into Earth orbit ending a 52-day cargo mission at the International Space Station.
The Atlas 1 (AC-73) carrying the GOES-1, the first of five next-generation advanced weather satellites for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), sits poised on Complex 36-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station ready for launch.
ISS043E091810 (04/07/2015) --- The International Space Stations robotic arm, Canadarm2, is poised and ready to capture SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft following a training session on Apr. 7, 2015. Dragon’s upcoming flight will be SpaceX’s sixth resupply flight to the station and will carry more than two tons of supplies and equipment for the Expedition 43 crew.
The space shuttle Discovery is poised for liftoff on the STS-128 mission from pad 39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Discovery is scheduled to launch early Tuesday morning. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
The space shuttle Discovery is poised for liftoff on the STS-128 mission from pad 39a at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. Discovery is scheduled to launch early Tuesday morning. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - With the desert sky behind it, the Space Shuttle Columbia and 747_Shuttle Carrier Aircraft are poised for the return flight to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After the successful first mission of the Space Shuttle, the orbiter was returned from the desert by a piggyback flight where it landed at KSC. Preparations now begin for the second launch.
ISS043E228727 (05/21/2015) --- The SpaceX Dragon craft is poised and ready to be released from the International Space Station on May 21, 2015. This was SpaceX’s sixth resupply mission to the space station and returned about 3,100 pounds of experiment samples and equipment back down to Earth.
iss056e077457 (July 4, 2018) --- A star-lit sky and Earth's atmospheric glow are the backdrop as the Canadarm2 robotic arm, with its Dextre robotic hand attached, is poised to begin extracting cargo from the rear of the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, or it's trunk.
iss060e081678 (Sept. 29, 2019) --- The H-II Transfer Vehicle-8 (HTV-8) from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is pictured attached to the International Space Station's Harmony module. The Canadarm2 robotic arm, with the Dextre "robotic hand" attached, is poised to remove the HTV-8 exposed pallet loaded with new lithium-ion batteries for installation and activation on the station during a series of spacewalks. The orbiting complex was flying 258 miles above Sudan about to cross the Gulf of Aden.
STS-88 Mission Specialist Nancy J. Currie dons her orange launch and entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. STS-88 will be Currie’s third spaceflight. She and the five other STS-88 crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is poised for liftoff on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Social media participants are given an opportunity to photograph the Atlas V vehicle poised at Cape Canaveral's Space Launch Complex-41 that will boost the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft on a 10-month trip to the Red Planet. They were on hand for the upcoming launch of the MAVEN mission. Their visit included tours of key facilities at the Florida Spaceport and participating in presentations by key NASA leaders who updated the space agency's current efforts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman
In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft (left) sits in its horizontal position, poised for its encapsulation into the upper stage of its Soyuz booster Nov. 9. Expedition 50-51 crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will launch on the Soyuz Nov. 18, Baikonur time, for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Alexander Vysotsky
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Perching on a pole in the Indian River Lagoon, an osprey clutches his most recent catch. In the background is Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, where the Delta IV rocket with the GOES-N satellite is poised for launch. The GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. The GOES-N launch was delayed due to last minute technical issues and postponed to a later date.
At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft stands poised in its integration facility May 8, 2012 ready to be enshrouded in the upper stage of the rocket that will launch it and three new crewmembers to the International Space Station. The Soyuz will carry Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka, NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin to the orbital complex on May 15 for a four-month mission. The Soyuz will rollout to its launch pad in Baikonur on May 13. NASA/Victor Zelentsov
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis is poised for liftoff on Launch Pad 39A. In the distance are the pads and processing facilities on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16. For information on the STS-129 mission and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis is poised for liftoff on Launch Pad 39A. In the distance are the pads and processing facilities on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Liftoff of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16. For information on the STS-129 mission and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Space Shuttle Columbia is poised to begin rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. The STS-107 research mission comprises experiments ranging from material sciences to life sciences (many rats), plus the Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (FREESTAR) that incorporates eight high priority secondary attached shuttle experiments. Mission STS-107 is scheduled to launch Jan. 16, 2003.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Perching on a pole in the Indian River Lagoon, an osprey clutches his most recent catch. The site is near Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, where the Delta IV rocket with the GOES-N satellite was poised for launch. The GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. The GOES-N launch was delayed due to last minute technical issues and postponed to a later date.
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 37, NASA and industry leaders pose on Dec. 3, 2014 in front of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy rocket poised to launch the Orion spacecraft on its first flight test, Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1). Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.
STS-88 Pilot Frederick W. "Rick" Sturckow gives a "thumbs up" after donning his orange launch and entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. STS-88 will be Sturckow’s first spaceflight. He and the five other STS-88 crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is poised for liftoff on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station
iss061e028279 (Nov. 4, 2019) --- The U.S. Cygnus space freighter approaches the International Space Station carrying over four tons of science experiments, crew supplies and station hardware. The Canadarm2 robotic arm, guided by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir with fellow Flight Engineer Christina Koch as her back up, is poised to capture the 12th resupply ship from Northrop Grumman.
After rollback of the Rotating Service Structure at Launch Pad 39B (left) before dawn, the Space Shuttle Discovery is revealed poised for flight on mission STS-103. The rollback of the structure was complete at 4:46 a.m. EST. STS-103 is scheduled for launch Dec. 16 at 9:18 p.m. EST. The mission is expected to last about 9 days and 21 hours with a landing at KSC Sunday, Dec. 26, at 6:56 p.m. EST
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - It's not always birds of a feather which flock together. Here, a flock of white pelicans splash down in a lagoon near KSC's Pad A of Launch Complex 39, where another 'bird' - the Space Shuttle Columbia - is poised for launch on its first voyage into orbit. The Rotating Service Structure, which houses the snug-fitting, environmentally clean 'white room' where payloads will be loaded into the orbiter's cargo bay, is shown at left in its retracted position.
STS-88 Mission Specialist James H. Newman gets assistance from suit technician Terri McKinney while donning his orange launch and entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. STS-88 will be Newman’s third spaceflight. He also is scheduled to perform three spacewalks on the mission. He and the five other STS-88 crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is poised for liftoff on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station
The Atlas-1 (AC-77) that will loft the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-J (GOES-J) next-generation advanced technology weather satellite into space sits poised for takeoff during final countdown operations at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Kennedy Space Center (KSC). GOES-J is atop the expendable launch vehicle inside the rocket's payload fairing.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - America's Space Shuttle stands poised on Launch Pad 39A, ready for Flight Readiness Firing of the main engines of the orbiter Columbia. The Rotating Service Structure has been retracted in this view, moving the 'White Room' access to the Cargo Bay and other support facilities away from the exhaust damage zone. This view was taken from the base of the approach ramp used by the Crawler when the Shuttle and its Mobile Launch Platform are moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the Pad.
As dawn breaks at Launch Pad 39B on the east coast of Florida, the Space Shuttle Discovery is revealed poised for flight on mission STS-103. The rollback of the Rotating Service Structure (left) was complete at 4:46 a.m. EST. STS-103 is scheduled for launch Dec. 16 at 9:18 p.m. EST. The mission is expected to last about 9 days and 21 hours with a landing at KSC Sunday, Dec. 26, at 6:56 p.m. EST
iss061e070168 (Dec. 8, 2019) --- This view from the cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world," shows the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship slowly approaching the orbiting lab as both spacecraft were orbiting 258 miles above the Mediterranean Sea. The Canadarm2 robotic arm (at right) is poised to reach out and grapple Dragon and install the U.S. space freighter to the Harmony module.
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket with NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, satellite sits poised for launch at Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Delta II is set for liftoff at 6:09 a.m. PST Dec. 14. WISE will scan the entire sky in infrared light, picking up the glow of hundreds of millions of objects and producing millions of images. Photo credit: Bill Hartenstein, United Launch Alliance
In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft stands poised for its encapsulation into the upper stage of its Soyuz booster Nov. 9. Expedition 50-51 crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will launch on the Soyuz Nov. 18, Baikonur time, for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Alexander Vysotsky
iss059e043283 (May 6, 2019) --- The SpaceX Dragon cargo craft approaches its capture point 10 meters from the International Space Station with the Canadarm2 robotic arm poised to reach out and grapple the resupply ship. Astronaut David Saint-Jacques would command the Canadarm2 to capture Dragon as astronaut Nick Hague backed him up and monitored systems.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Rain soaked Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where space shuttle Endeavour is poised to launch on its final mission, STS-134, to the International Space Station. Severe storms associated with a frontal system are moving through Central Florida, producing strong winds, heavy rain, frequent lightning and even funnel clouds. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
The Space Shuttle Discovery slowly and carefully makes the 4.2- mile (6.8 kilometer) trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building, background at right, to Launch Pad 39B on its Mobile Launcher Platform carried by the Crawler Transporter. Pad 39A, with the Shapce Shuttle Atlantic poised for liftoff, is in background at left. Discovery is scheduled to fly first, on STS-70 targeted for June 8. Atlantis' mission, STS-71, is scheduled no earlier than June 22.
![KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A full moon over Kennedy Space Center competes for dominance in the night sky with the illuminated Space Shuttle Endeavour below, poised for launch on mission STS-113 from Launch Pad 39A. The mission will be the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying another structure for the Station, the P1 integrated truss. Also onboard will be the Expedition 6 crew, who will replace Expedition 5. [Photo by Scott Andrews]](https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/KSC-02pd1807/KSC-02pd1807~medium.jpg)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A full moon over Kennedy Space Center competes for dominance in the night sky with the illuminated Space Shuttle Endeavour below, poised for launch on mission STS-113 from Launch Pad 39A. The mission will be the 16th assembly flight to the International Space Station, carrying another structure for the Station, the P1 integrated truss. Also onboard will be the Expedition 6 crew, who will replace Expedition 5. [Photo by Scott Andrews]
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Rain pounds Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where space shuttle Endeavour is poised to launch on its final mission, STS-134, to the International Space Station. Severe storms associated with a frontal system are moving through Central Florida, producing strong winds, heavy rain, frequent lightning and even funnel clouds. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
jsc2017e101953 (July 22, 2017) --- In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft stands poised to be encapsulated in the upper stage of a Soyuz booster July 21 in preparation for its launch. Expedition 52-53 crewmembers Sergey Ryazanskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Randy Bresnik of NASA and Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency will launch July 28 on the Soyuz MS-05 for a five-month mission on the International Space Station. Credit: Roscosmos
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 1, one of the three main engines for space shuttle Atlantis is poised for installation. Main engine No. 1 has already been installed. Atlantis is the designated vehicle for the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Launch is targeted for Oct. 8. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
iss061e027734 (Nov. 4, 2019) --- The U.S. Cygnus space freighter approaches the International Space Station carrying over four tons of science experiments, crew supplies and station hardware. The Canadarm2 robotic arm, guided by NASA astronaut Jessica Meir with fellow Flight Engineer Christina Koch as her back up, is poised to capture the 12th resupply ship from Northrop Grumman.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 37, NASA and industry leaders pose in front of the United Launch Alliance Delta IV heavy rocket poised to launch the Orion spacecraft on its first flight test. For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/orion. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and cargo Dragon spacecraft stand poised for launch moments before liftoff at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Dec. 6, 2020, for NASA and SpaceX’s 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission to the International Space Station. The first launch for SpaceX under NASA’s CRS-2 contract, the mission blasted off the pad at 11:17 a.m. EST.
In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft sits in its horizontal position, poised for its encapsulation into the upper stage of its Soyuz booster Nov. 9. Expedition 50-51 crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will launch on the Soyuz Nov. 18, Baikonur time, for a six-month mission on the International Space Station. NASA/Alexander Vysotsky
In the pre-dawn hours at Launch Pad 39B under a cloud-filled sky on the east coast of Florida, the Rotating Service Structure is rolled back to reveal the Space Shuttle Discovery poised for flight on mission STS-103. The rollback of the structure was complete at 4:46 a.m. EST. STS-103 is scheduled for launch Dec. 16 at 9:18 p.m. EST. The mission is expected to last about 9 days and 21 hours with a landing at KSC Sunday, Dec. 26, at 6:56 p.m. EST
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis is poised for liftoff on Launch Pad 39A. The pad overlooks the Atlantic Ocean in the background. Liftoff of Atlantis on its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for Nov. 16. For information on the STS-129 mission and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
iss062e000422 (Feb. 7, 2020) --- The Canadarm2 robotic arm, from the Canadian Space Agency, is poised to capture the Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman with NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan at the robotics controls in the cupola on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020. Ground controllers will take over afterward and remotely command the Canadarm2 to install Cygnus to the Unity module where it will stay for three months.
STS-88 Mission Specialist Jerry L. Ross (left) and astronaut Charles Precourt pose for a photo during suiting up activities in the Operations and Checkout Building. STS-88 will be the sixth spaceflight for Ross, who is scheduled to perform three spacewalks on the mission. He and the five other STS-88 crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is poised for liftoff on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station
![KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Boeing Delta II launch vehicle for NASA’s Swift spacecraft is poised for launch at the scheduled liftoff time of 12:16:00.611 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 17-A on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. [Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews]](https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/04pd2384/04pd2384~medium.jpg)
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The Boeing Delta II launch vehicle for NASA’s Swift spacecraft is poised for launch at the scheduled liftoff time of 12:16:00.611 p.m. EST from Launch Pad 17-A on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Swift is a first-of-its-kind multi-wavelength observatory dedicated to the study of gamma-ray burst science. Its three instruments will work together to observe GRBs and afterglows in the gamma ray, X-ray, ultraviolet and optical wavebands. [Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews]
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket, on behalf of the NASA Launch Services Program, is poised on its Space Launch Complex-2 launch pad at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., ready for launch. The Delta II will carry the Missile Defense Agency's Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) Advanced Technology Risk Reduction (ATRR) payload into orbit. The launch is scheduled for 1:24 p.m. PDT. Photo by Carleton Bailie, United Launch Alliance.
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - A United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket with NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, satellite sits poised for launch at Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The Delta II is set for liftoff at 6:09 a.m. PST Dec. 14. WISE will scan the entire sky in infrared light, picking up the glow of hundreds of millions of objects and producing millions of images. Photo credit: Bill Hartenstein, United Launch Alliance
STS-88 Commander Robert D. Cabana gets assistance from a suit technician in donning his orange launch and entry suit in the Operations and Checkout Building. STS-88 will be Cabana’s fourth spaceflight. He and the five other STS-88 crew members will depart shortly for Launch Pad 39A where the Space Shuttle Endeavour is poised for liftoff on the first U.S. mission dedicated to the assembly of the International Space Station
As dawn breaks at Launch Pad 39B on the east coast of Florida, the Space Shuttle Discovery is revealed after rollback of the Rotating Service Structure. The rollback of the structure was complete at 4:46 a.m. EST. Poised for flight on mission STS-103, Discovery is scheduled for launch Dec. 16 at 9:18 p.m. EST. The mission is expected to last about 9 days and 21 hours with a landing at KSC Sunday, Dec. 26, at 6:56 p.m. EST
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - The new NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe poses for the photographer near Launch Pad 39A. Space Shuttle Columbia is poised on the pad behind him for launch Feb. 28 and mission STS-109. The administrator was at KSC on an agencywide familiarization tour of NASA field centers. He was nominated for the position as administrator in November 2001 by President George W. Bush. He was sworn in Dec. 21 as the agency's 10th chief
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II Heavy launch vehicle carrying the second Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, is poised for launch after rollback of the Mobile Service Tower. Opportunity will reach Mars on Jan. 25, 2004. Together the two MER rovers, Spirit (launched June 10) and Opportunity, seek to determine the history of climate and water at two sites on Mars where conditions may once have been favorable to life. The rovers are identical. They will navigate themselves around obstacles as they drive across the Martian surface, traveling up to about 130 feet each Martian day. Each rover carries five scientific instruments including a panoramic camera and microscope, plus a rock abrasion tool that will grind away the outer surfaces of rocks to expose their interiors for examination. Each rover’s prime mission is planned to last three months on Mars.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Key officials are poised to cut the ribbon officially dedicating the new Security gates on Kennedy Parkway (Gate 2) and NASA Parkway (Gate 3). From left are Wally Schroeder, with Jones, Edmunds & Associates; Bobby Porter, with Oneida Construction; Daniel Tweed, NASA project manager; Jim Kennedy, Center director; and William Sample, SGS deputy program manager. The new gates were activated Aug. 1, allowing the general public to have access to the new Space Commerce Way, which will provide access to the Research Park and KSC Visitor Complex, and providing an alternate route for the general public between Titusville and Merritt Island that is accessible 24 hours a day. The gates are staffed 24 hours daily.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft stand poised for launch at historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2020, ahead of the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred at 3:22 p.m. EDT. NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are the first astronauts to launch from U.S. soil to the space station since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter No. 1 sits outside the Vehicle Assembly Building. Workers will be driving the crawler to test it before it is needed to roll back Space Shuttle Atlantis from Launch Pad 39B. The rollback will be determined by the mission management team based on information about Hurricane Ernesto and its path through Florida. Atlantis has been poised on Launch Pad 39B for liftoff on mission STS-115 to the International Space Station to deliver the P3/P4 truss segment. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers check on the crawler-transporters in the event they are needed for rolling back Space Shuttle Atlantis from Launch Pad 39B. Crawler No. 2 will be used to move the STS-116 stack from VAB high bay 3 to high bay 2 and crawler No. 1 will be used to transport Atlantis to high bay 3. The rollback will be determined by the mission management team based on information about Hurricane Ernesto and its path through Florida. Atlantis has been poised on Launch Pad 39B for liftoff on mission STS-115 to the International Space Station to deliver the P3/P4 truss segment. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
The Space Shuttle Columbia stands poised in the night for the STS-83 Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) mission after the Rotating Service Structure of Launch Pad 39A has been moved back prior to the start of fueling operations that take place about 12 hours before liftoff. During the scheduled 16-day STS-83 mission, the MSL-1 will be used to test some of the hardware, facilities and procedures that are planned for use on the International Space Station as well as research in combustion, protein crystal growth and materials processing experiments
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Workers at Launch Pad 39A check the fittings on the payload bay of Endeavour before the bay doors close. The view is looking down into the payload bay. The Shuttle is poised for launch on mission STS-111, Utilization Flight 2, carrying supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The payload includes the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, the Mobile Base System, which will be installed on the Mobile Transporter to complete the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, and a replacement wrist/roll joint for Canadarm 2. Also part of the mission, Expedition 5 will travel to the Station as the replacement crew for Expedition 4, who will return to Earth aboard the orbiter. Launch is scheduled for May 30, 2002
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The GOES-M satellite is poised for flight at Launch Complex 36-A, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, after rollback of the Mobile Service Tower. GOES-M is the last in the current series of advanced geostationary weather satellites in service. GOES-M has a new instrument not on earlier spacecraft, a Solar X-ray Imager, which can be used in forecasting space weather and the effects of solar storms. The satellite is scheduled to launch atop an Atlas rocket on July 23 during a window that extends from 3:02 to 4:26 a.m. EDT
At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the gantry rolls back at Space Launch Complex 2 in preparation for the liftoff of the Joint Polar Satellite System-1, or JPSS-1, spacecraft. The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket now is poised to boost the satellite to a polar orbit. Built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado, JPSS is the first in a series four next-generation environmental satellites in a collaborative program between NOAA and NASA. The satellite is scheduled to liftoff at 1:47 a.m. PST (4:47 a.m. EST), on Nov. 14, 2017.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an overhead crane is poised over the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, or AMS, to lift the Payload Attach System, or PAS, up to the AMS. The PAS provides a method of securely connecting the payload to the International Space Station. AMS, a state-of-the-art particle physics detector, is designed to operate as an external module on the International Space Station. It will use the unique environment of space to study the universe and its origin by searching for dark matter. AMS will fly to the station aboard space shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission targeted to launch Feb. 26, 2011. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft stand poised for launch at historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2020, ahead of the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred at 3:22 p.m. EDT. NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are the first astronauts to launch from U.S. soil to the space station since the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this will be SpaceX’s final flight test, paving the way for the agency to certify the crew transportation system for regular, crewed flights to the orbiting laboratory.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket is poised for liftoff from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K, TDRS-K, to orbit. Launch is set for 8:48 p.m. EST. The TDRS-K spacecraft is part of the next-generation series in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, a constellation of space-based communication satellites providing tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services. For more information, visit http:__www.nasa.gov_mission_pages_tdrs_index.html. Photo credit: NASA_Glenn Benson
A rising sun illuminates the coastal waters beyond Space Shuttle Endeavour, poised for launch on Nov. 30 at about 10:06 p.m. EST on mission STS-97. On the left, extending toward the orbiter, is the orbiter access arm. The mission to the International Space Station carries the P6 Integrated Truss Segment containing solar arrays and batteries that will be temporarily installed to the Unity connecting module by the Z1 truss, recently delivered to and installed on the Station on mission STS-92. The two solar arrays are each more than 100 feet long. They will capture energy from the sun and convert it to power for the Station. Two spacewalks will be required to install the solar array connections