KSC-2010-4696

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a technician performs a wide-band instrumentation system test on half of the fairing that will encapsulate NASA's Glory satellite during launch aboard a Taurus XL rocket. The black protective covering will be removed so that the fairing half can be thoroughly cleaned before it is installed around the spacecraft. The four-stage rocket and satellite are being prepared for a launch to low Earth orbit from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 576-E. Once Glory reaches orbit, it will collect data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon. It also will help scientists understand how the sun's irradiance affects Earth's climate. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB