KSC-07pd0244
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On Launch Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the THEMIS spacecraft is lifted up alongside the mobile service tower. Once inside, THEMIS will be encapsulated and mated with the third stage of the Delta II rocket. THEMIS consists of five identical probes, the largest number of scientific satellites ever launched into orbit aboard a single rocket. The THEMIS mission is to investigate what causes auroras in the Earth's atmosphere to dramatically change from slowly shimmering waves of light to wildly shifting streaks of color. Discovering what causes auroras to change will provide scientists with important details on how the planet's magnetosphere works and the important Sun-Earth connection. THEMIS is scheduled to launch aboard a Delta II rocket on Feb. 15 during a window extending from 6:08 to 6:27 p.m. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller
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Details
NASA ID
KSC-07pd0244
Date Created
February 3, 2007
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Kennedy Space Center, FL
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