George Diller
July 1, 2004
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
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PHOTO RELEASE: P06-04

MESSENGER SPACECRAFT RECEIVES ITS SUN CATCHERS

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -? At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the two solar arrays from the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation June 24-25.? One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test.? MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

KSC Photo Link: KSC-04PD-1321
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=23090

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At right, technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide into place the second solar panel for installment on NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft.? At left is the first panel, already installed.? The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER's power.

KSC Photo Link: KSC-04PD-1348
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=23128

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory prepare the MESSENGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft's complement of hypergolic propellants.

KSC Photo Link:? KSC-04PD-1372
http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/detail.cfm?mediaid=23149

A complete gallery of NASA Kennedy Space Center photos is available at: http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/index.cfm