
On Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II second stage is being lifted alongside the mobile service tower. Once inside, it will be mated with the first stage already in place. The Delta II is the launch vehicle for the THEMIS spacecraft. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, the largest number of scientific satellites ever launched into orbit aboard a single rocket. This unique constellation of satellites will resolve the tantalizing mystery of what causes the spectacular sudden brightening of the aurora borealis and aurora australis - the fiery skies over the Earth's northern and southern polar regions. THEMIS is scheduled to launch Feb. 15 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
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NASA ID
KSC-07PD-0127
Date Created
January 19, 2007
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Photographer
NASA
Location
CX-17B, Cape Canaveral Air Force
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