KSC-2012-3680

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Astrotech payload processing facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians prepare to deploy the magnetometer boom of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, spacecraft A. Deploying this instrument is standard procedure to ensure it will work properly on Earth before it heads into space. In the back right of the facility, is spacecraft B, which is identical to spacecraft A. Together, NASA’s two RBSP spacecraft will help us understand the sun’s influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Earth’s radiation belts on various scales of space and time. The boom will provide data of the electric fields that energize radiation particles and modify the structure of the inner magnetosphere. RBSP will begin its mission of exploration of Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and the extremes of space weather after its launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Launch is targeted for Aug. 23. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/rbsp. Photo credit: NASA/Charisse Nahser