KSC-04pd1532
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the mobile service tower at Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers watch closely as the upper canister around the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) spacecraft is detached from the lower panels. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. It is expected to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. Processing is being done at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla.
Usage Rights
Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to use. Credit NASA as the source. Check NASA's media usage guidelines for details. Images featuring identifiable individuals may require additional permissions.
Details
NASA ID
KSC-04pd1532
Date Created
July 21, 2004
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
Downloads
Download this image in multiple resolutions. All NASA media are free for public use.