KSC-2012-3134

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Working in near-darkness inside the high bay clean room at the Astrotech payload processing facility, two technicians use black lights to inspect of one of NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes. Black light inspection uses UVA fluorescence to detect possible microcontamination, small cracks or fluid leaks. The Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, mission will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett