Friday, November 08, 2013

MAVEN Boards Its Launch Vehicle...

The payload fairing containing NASA's MAVEN spacecraft is about to be mated to its Atlas V launch vehicle at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, on November 8, 2013.
NASA

With launch only 10 days away, expect me to post more and more entries about the impending flight of NASA's next Mars-bound orbiter. Yes— I know, I know... You're totally looking forward to nonstop coverage of this deep space mission over the next week or so. And so am I. Here are photos of MAVEN before and after it was placed within the payload fairing of the Atlas V rocket that will send this probe to the Red Planet. Did I mention that MAVEN's launch is only 10 days away? Word.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the MAVEN spacecraft is about to be encapsulated within its Atlas V payload fairing...on November 2, 2013.
NASA / Kim Shiflett

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the MAVEN spacecraft is about to be encapsulated within its Atlas V payload fairing...on November 2, 2013.
NASA / Kim Shiflett

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the MAVEN spacecraft is about to be encapsulated within its Atlas V payload fairing...on November 2, 2013.
NASA / Kim Shiflett

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the MAVEN spacecraft is about to be encapsulated within its Atlas V payload fairing...on November 2, 2013.
NASA / Kim Shiflett

On November 6, 2013, the MAVEN spacecraft is ready to be mated to its Atlas V launch vehicle after being encapsulated within the rocket's payload fairing.
NASA / Kim Shiflett
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