The solid rocket motor for mating to the United Launch Alliance Delta II launch vehicle is lifted up at the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Space Launch Complex 2 on June 14, 2018, at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The solid rocket motor will be attached to the rocket. NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) will launch on the final Delta II rocket. ICESat-2 will measure the height of a changing Earth, one laser pulse at a time, 10,000 laser pulses a second. The satellite will carry a single instrument, the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System. ICESat-2 will help scientists investigate why, and how much our planet's frozen and icy areas, called the cryosphere, is changing in a warming climate.
ICESat-2IceCloud and land Elevation Satellite-2NASAGSFCGoddard Space Flight CenterLSPLaunch Services ProgramULAUnited Launch AllianceDelta IISLC-2WSpace Launch Complex 2VAFBVandenberg Air Force BaseATLASAdvanced Topographic Laser Altimeter SystemFibertek Inc Northrop GrummanLEOStar-3AstrotechAstrotech Space OperationsVertical Integration Facilitysolid rocket motor