VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A morning hailstorm at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California leaves in its wake a rainbow over Space Launch Complex 2 where the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket for NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission, or OCO-2, is being prepared for launch in the mobile service tower. Launch is scheduled for July 1, 2014. The observatory will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere and provide scientists with a better idea of the chemical compound's impacts on climate change. Scientists will analyze this data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important atmospheric gas. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin KSC-2014-1943

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This aerial photo shows the expanse of the Launch Complex 39 Area, bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and cloud-filled sky. At center right, towering above the surrounding sites, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. To the left, or north, is the Orbiter Processing Facility’s Bay 3. On the western side are OPF Bays 1 and 2. In the lower right corner is the Operations Support Building. The two-lane crawlerway stretches from the VAB toward the coast, site of Launch Pad 39A, closest, and Launch Pad 39B, far left. Between the VAB and the ocean sprawl the Banana Creek and the Banana River. The turn basin, at right, allows delivery of external tanks that are offloaded close to and transported to the VAB. Photo credit: NASA KSC-04pd0664

A view of the space shuttle launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure has been moved from around space shuttle Atlantis to allow the installation of the canister containing the payload for the STS-129 mission to the International Space Station into the Payload Changeout Room. Next, the payload - Express Logistics Carriers 1 and 2 - will be transferred into Atlantis' payload bay. The STS-129 crew will deliver two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Launch is set for Nov. 16. For information on the STS-129 mission objectives and crew, visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts129/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-6086

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- As NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Launch Pad 39A is seen from the Saturn Causeway. On launch day, space shuttle astronauts ride to their launch pad and spacecraft in NASA's silver Astrovan. Along the way, they pass the Vehicle Assembly Building, Launch Control Center and Press Site. Adjacent to the road is the crawlerway, which is the route shuttles take to Kennedy's Launch Complex 39 launch pads on top of a crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin KSC-2010-4396

This aerial photo captures many of the facilities involved in Space Shuttle launches. At center is the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), with the Launch Control Center at its right. The curved road on the left in the photo is the newly restored crawlerway leading into the VAB high bay 2, where a mobile launcher platform/crawler-transporter sits. The road restoration and high bay 2 are part of KSC's Safe Haven project, enabling the storage of orbiters during severe weather. The crawlerway also extends from the east side out to the two launch pads, one visible close to the road on the left and one to the left of the VAB. In the distance is the Atlantic Ocean. To the right of the crawlerway is the turn basin, into which ships tow the barge for offloading new external tanks from Louisiana. KSC-00PP-0726

KSC-03pd2225. NASA public domain image. Kennedy space center.

Randy Beaudoin KSC-2014-1943

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Summary

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – A morning hailstorm at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California leaves in its wake a rainbow over Space Launch Complex 2 where the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket for NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 mission, or OCO-2, is being prepared for launch in the mobile service tower. Launch is scheduled for July 1, 2014. The observatory will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere and provide scientists with a better idea of the chemical compound's impacts on climate change. Scientists will analyze this data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important atmospheric gas. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

date_range

Date

2014

place

Location

34.75086, -120.52053

create

Source

NASA

link

Link

https://images.nasa.gov/

Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

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