MESSENGER SPACECRAFT RECEIVES ITS SUN CATCHERS



George Diller                                                          
                                                        July 1, 2004
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone:  321/867-2468)

KSC Release No. P06-04



Messenger Spacecraft Receives Its Sun Catchers 



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 Number: KSC-04PD-1321









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 Number: KSC-04PD-1348









A complete gallery of NASA Kennedy Space Center photos are available 
at:



http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/index.cfm

	
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