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Atlas V Rocket to Launch New Sun Mission Takes Shape at Cape Canaveral

A rocket booster is suspended in midair by a crane as it is lifted vertically toward a launch tower. The booster, mounted on a trailer, has its engine nozzles covered for protection. Technicians in hard hats observe the operation, and the ULA (United Launch Alliance) logo is visible on the structure in the background. The scene takes place under a clear blue sky, with the booster being carefully maneuvered into place for launch integration.
The booster of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will launch the Solar Orbiter spacecraft is lifted into the vertical position at the Vertical Integration Facility near Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Jan. 6, 2020. Photo credits: NASA/Ben Smegelsky
A large rocket booster is lowered vertically into a launch pad structure, viewed from below through an opening in the platform. The booster is suspended by a crane, with cables stabilizing its descent. A worker stands on a platform nearby for scale, and the surrounding structure includes scaffolding, pipes, and industrial equipment, emphasizing the scale and complexity of launch preparations.
The booster of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will launch the Solar Orbiter spacecraft is moved into the Vertical Integration Facility near Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Jan. 6, 2020.

The rocket that will launch a new spacecraft to study the Sun is beginning to take shape at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The first-stage booster for the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is “on stand,” meaning it has been raised to a vertical position inside the complex’s Vertical Integration Facility. In the coming days, the one solid rocket booster needed for the mission will be added to the booster, followed by the single-engine Centaur upper stage.

Solar Orbiter is an international cooperative mission between ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA. The mission aims to study the Sun, its outer atmosphere and solar wind. The spacecraft will provide the first images of the Sun’s poles. NASA’s Launch Services Program based at Kennedy Space Center in Florida is managing the launch. Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2020.