KSC-2009-3749

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Atlas V/Centaur rocket with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, and NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, known as LCROSS, on top are on the pad at Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. LRO and LCROSS are the first missions in NASA's plan to return humans to the moon and begin establishing a lunar outpost by 2020. The LRO also includes seven instruments that will help NASA characterize the moon's surface: DIVINER, LAMP, LEND, LOLA, CRATER, Mini-RF and LROC. Launch is scheduled for 5:22 p.m. EDT June 18 . Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller