VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In the mobile service tower at Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians are inspecting the NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, satellite. The task is taking place prior to encapsulation in its payload fairing atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 2:56 a.m. PDT 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley KSC-2014-3019

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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, STS-115 Mission Specialist Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper is practicing folding a sequential shunt unit launch to activation multilayer installation blanket. She and other crew members are at the center for Crew Equipment Interface Test activities. Equipment familiarization is a routine part of astronaut training and launch preparations. The mission will deliver the second port truss segment, the P3/P4 Truss, to attach to the first port truss segment, the P1 Truss, as well as deploy solar array set 2A and 4A. Launch on Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for late August. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett KSC-06pd1178

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers move another segment of the payload canister to install around the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) in the background. SIRTF is currently scheduled for transportation to Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and mating with the Delta II on or about April 4. KSC-03pd0967

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mission specialist Kathryn "Kay" Hire, at left, a crew member on space shuttle Endeavour's STS-130 mission, participates in familiarization training for the Tranquility Node 3 module in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Assisting her, at right, is Chris Hardcastle, an STS-130 flight crew representative with United Space Alliance. Tranquility is a pressurized module that will provide room for many of the International Space Station's life support systems. Attached to the node is a cupola, a unique work station with six windows on its sides and one on top. Tranquility is the payload for the STS-130 mission. The module was built for the European Space Agency by Alenia Spazio in Turin, Italy. Cupola resembles a circular bay window that will provide a vastly improved view of the station's exterior. Just under 10 feet in diameter, the module will accommodate two crew members and portable workstations that can control station and robotic activities. The multi-directional view will allow the crew to monitor spacewalks and docking operations, as well as provide a spectacular view of Earth and other celestial objects. Endeavour is targeted to launch Feb. 4, 2010. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller KSC-2009-5431

NPS Professor Chris Brophy, shown in the university's

S127E012555 - STS-127 - Cassidy in the FWD MDDL of Space Shuttle Endeavour

Mark Mackley KSC-2014-3019

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Summary

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In the mobile service tower at Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians are inspecting the NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, or OCO-2, satellite. The task is taking place prior to encapsulation in its payload fairing atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Launch is scheduled for 2:56 a.m. PDT 5:56 a.m. EDT on July 1. OCO-2 is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying atmospheric carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth’s climate. OCO-2 will provide a new tool for understanding the human and natural sources of carbon dioxide emissions and the natural "sinks" that absorb carbon dioxide and help control its buildup. The observatory will measure the global geographic distribution of these sources and sinks and study their changes over time. To learn more about OCO-2, visit http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov Photo credit: NASA/Mark Mackley

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Date

20/06/2014

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Location

Vandenberg Space Force Base, California

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NASA

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https://images.nasa.gov/

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