Browse All : Venus from 2004

Title	Sedna's Night Sky Location
Description	This view shows where the newly discovered planet-like body, dubbed "Sedna," would lie in the evening skies at around 8:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on the date its discovery was announced (March 15, 2004). It was located in the constellation of Cetus and formed a triangle with Mars and Venus in the direction of the setting Sun. Sedna is so faint, however, that it can not be seen with the naked eye, or with telescopes typically used by amateur astronomers.

Description	NASA Connect Video containing six segments as described below. NASA Connect segment explaining how scientists determined the distance between the earth and the sun. The video also explores the geometric technique called parallax. NASA Connect segment involving students in a classroom activity that uses graphing, measurement, and ratios to construct a scaled model of the Solar System. NASA Connect segment exploring what it means to scale and why scientists use scale models and drawings. The video also explores math terms that are associated with scale models and drawings. NASA Connect segment that explores how astronomers and scientists use astronomical units in measuring distances in the Solar System. NASA Connect segment that challenges students to participate in an activity to scale the universe. The video involves students in a proposal to determine a new baseline distance to use for an astronomical unit. NASA Connect segment that explains the Venus Transit and compares it to a solar eclipse.
Date	3/18/04

title	Double Transit
date	06.08.2004
description	On June 8th, in a tiny village in Slovakia, Tomas Maruska took a picture that is beyond rare. It shows Venus and the International Space Station (ISS) transiting the Sun at the same time. The double transit was visible only inside a narrow corridor a few hundred meters wide. And it was brief. The space station crosses in the Sun in a split second. Maruska knew when and where to look thanks to the predictions of Thomas Fly, an expert forecaster of ISS transits. The image was taken in the village of Stupava, north of Bratislava, Slovakia. Image Copyright: Tomas Maruska 2004

title	Venus Transit
date	06.08.2004
description	NASA's TRACE satellite captured this image of Venus crossing the face of the Sun as seen from Earth orbit. The last event occurred in 1882. The next Venus transit will be visible in 2012. Image Credit: NASA

title	MESSENGER Launch
date	08.03.2004
description	The tip of the Boeing Delta II rocket with its MESSENGER spacecraft on top breaks through the billows of smoke below as it lifts off on time at 2:15:56 a.m. EDT on Aug. 3, 2004 from Launch Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) is on a seven-year journey to the planet Mercury. The spacecraft will fly by Earth, Venus and Mercury several times to burn off energy before making its final approach to the inner planet on March 18, 2011. Image Credit: NASA

Launch of Cassini Orbiter & Huygens Probe

Title	Launch of Cassini Orbiter & Huygens Probe
Full Description	A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn begins with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. Launch occurred at 4:43 a.m. EDT, October 15, 1997 from Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Station. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that will include two swing-bys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-storey tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for four years, its complement of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting closeup observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of six science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. contribution to the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. The major U.S. contractor is Lockheed Martin, which provided the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will provide power for the spacecraft. The Titan IV/Centaur is a U.S. Air Force launch vehicle, and launch operations were managed by the 45th Space Wing.
Date	10/15/1997
NASA Center	Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Name of Image	Cassini Spacecraft / Titan IVB Centaur on Launch Pad
Date of Image	1997-10-15
Full Description	The 7-year journey to Saturn began with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that included two swingbys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for 4 years, its compliment of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere, and conducting close-up observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of 6 science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI).

Name of Image	Cassini Spacecraft / Titan IVB Centaur Launch
Date of Image	1997-10-15
Full Description	The 7-year journey to Saturn began with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/ Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that included two swingbys of Venus and one of the Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for 4 years, its compliment of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting close-up observations of Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of 6 science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an International effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI).

Title	Launch of Cassini Orbiter and Huygens Probe on Titan IV
Description	A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn begins with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. Launch occurred at 4:43 a.m. EDT, Oct. 15, from Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Station. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that will include two swingbys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for four years, its complement of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting closeup observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of six science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. contribution to the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science. The major U.S. contractor is Lockheed Martin, which provided the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will provide power for the spacecraft. The Titan IV/Centaur is a U.S. Air Force launch vehicle, and launch operations were managed by the 45th Space Wing.
Date	10.15.1997

Launch of Cassini Orbiter and Huygens Probe on Titan IV

Title	Launch of Cassini Orbiter and Huygens Probe on Titan IV
Original Caption Released with Image	A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn begins with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. Launch occurred at 4:43 a.m. EDT, Oct. 15, from Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Station. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that will include two swingbys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for four years, its complement of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting closeup observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of six science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. contribution to the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science. The major U.S. contractor is Lockheed Martin, which provided the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will provide power for the spacecraft. The Titan IV/Centaur is a U.S. Air Force launch vehicle, and launch operations were managed by the 45th Space Wing.

Title	Launch of Cassini Orbiter and Huygens Probe on Titan IV
Original Caption Released with Image	A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn begins with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. Launch occurred at 4:43 a.m. EDT, Oct. 15, from Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Station. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that will include two swingbys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for four years, its complement of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting closeup observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of six science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. contribution to the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science. The major U.S. contractor is Lockheed Martin, which provided the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will provide power for the spacecraft. The Titan IV/Centaur is a U.S. Air Force launch vehicle, and launch operations were managed by the 45th Space Wing.

Title	Cerberus Fossae
Original Caption Released with Image	Released August 30, 2004The THEMIS Image of the Day will be exploring the nomenclature of Mars [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06821 ] for the next three weeks. "Cerberus Fossae" * "Fossae: "long, narrow, shallow depressions * "Cerberus:" The three-headed watchdog that guarded the entrance to Hades. Cerberus was the child of a giant and a half-woman/half-snake. Cerberus Fossae is comprised of two east/west oriented linear depressions. One of these depressions is shown in the VIS mosaic above. The region surrounding the depression is mainly volcanic in nature. Nomenclature Fact of the Day: Since the planet Venus is named for the Roman goddess of love, its features are named with female names. Large craters are named for famous women, small craters are named with female first names, and other features are named for mythological goddesses of many cultures. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 10.1, Longitude 157.3 East (202.7 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Title	Cerberus Fossae
Original Caption Released with Image	Released August 30, 2004The THEMIS Image of the Day will be exploring the nomenclature of Mars [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA06821 ] for the next three weeks. "Cerberus Fossae" * "Fossae: "long, narrow, shallow depressions * "Cerberus:" The three-headed watchdog that guarded the entrance to Hades. Cerberus was the child of a giant and a half-woman/half-snake. Cerberus Fossae is comprised of two east/west oriented linear depressions. One of these depressions is shown in the VIS mosaic above. The region surrounding the depression is mainly volcanic in nature. Nomenclature Fact of the Day: Since the planet Venus is named for the Roman goddess of love, its features are named with female names. Large craters are named for famous women, small craters are named with female first names, and other features are named for mythological goddesses of many cultures. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 10.1, Longitude 157.3 East (202.7 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Title	Launch of Cassini Orbiter and Huygens Probe on Titan IV
Original Caption Released with Image	A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn begins with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. Launch occurred at 4:43 a.m. EDT, Oct. 15, from Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Station. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that will include two swingbys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for four years, its complement of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting closeup observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of six science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. contribution to the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science. The major U.S. contractor is Lockheed Martin, which provided the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will provide power for the spacecraft. The Titan IV/Centaur is a U.S. Air Force launch vehicle, and launch operations were managed by the 45th Space Wing.

Title	Launch of Cassini Orbiter and Huygens Probe on Titan IV
Original Caption Released with Image	A seven-year journey to the ringed planet Saturn begins with the liftoff of a Titan IVB/Centaur carrying the Cassini orbiter and its attached Huygens probe. Launch occurred at 4:43 a.m. EDT, Oct. 15, from Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Station. After a 2.2-billion mile journey that will include two swingbys of Venus and one of Earth to gain additional velocity, the two-story tall spacecraft will arrive at Saturn in July 2004. The orbiter will circle the planet for four years, its complement of 12 scientific instruments gathering data about Saturn's atmosphere, rings and magnetosphere and conducting closeup observations of the Saturnian moons. Huygens, with a separate suite of six science instruments, will separate from Cassini to fly on a ballistic trajectory toward Titan, the only celestial body besides Earth to have an atmosphere rich in nitrogen. Scientists are eager to study further this chemical similarity in hopes of learning more about the origins of our own planet Earth. Huygens will provide the first direct sampling of Titan's atmospheric chemistry and the first detailed photographs of its surface. The Cassini mission is an international effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the U.S. contribution to the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science. The major U.S. contractor is Lockheed Martin, which provided the launch vehicle and upper stage, spacecraft propulsion module and radioisotope thermoelectric generators that will provide power for the spacecraft. The Titan IV/Centaur is a U.S. Air Force launch vehicle, and launch operations were managed by the 45th Space Wing.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft?s two solar arrays are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation on June 24 -25. One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft?s two solar arrays are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation on June 24 -25. One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft?s two solar arrays are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation on June 24 -25. One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft?s two solar arrays are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation on June 24 -25. One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers place insulating blankets around the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., workers place insulating blankets around the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker adjusts an insulating blanket around the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker adjusts an insulating blanket around the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft?s two solar arrays are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation on June 24 -25. One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004, from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., look over a solar panel ready to be installed on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., look over a solar panel ready to be installed on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians check the second solar panel that will be installed on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians check the second solar panel that will be installed on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/25/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker adjusts an insulating blanket around the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft?s two solar arrays are undergoing cleaning inspections and voltage checks in preparation for installation on June 24 -25. One array will be installed each day, followed by a deployment test. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At right, technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide into place the second solar panel to be installed 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. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At right, technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide into place the second solar panel to be installed 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. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/25/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker checks wiring on the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker checks wiring on the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment test. Launch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., attach a bar to a solar panel in order to lift it and move it to NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., attach a bar to a solar panel in order to lift it and move it to NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., carry a solar panel toward NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., carry a solar panel toward NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., steady a solar panel suspended from above as others prepare to install it on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., steady a solar panel suspended from above as others prepare to install it on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., help guide a solar panel toward NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., help guide a solar panel toward NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide a solar panel closer to NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., guide a solar panel closer to NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians maneuver a second solar panel to a vertical position to move it toward NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians maneuver a second solar panel to a vertical position to move it toward NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft for installation. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/25/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians secure guide wires on the second solar panel to be installed on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians secure guide wires on the second solar panel to be installed on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. The two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/25/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., adjust a solar panel suspended from above for installation on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., adjust a solar panel suspended from above for installation on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., a worker checks wiring on the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. Two solar arrays will be installed June 24-25, followed by a deployment testLaunch is scheduled for July 30, 2004 from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Earth once, Venus twice and Mercury three times before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/21/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., maneuver a solar panel into place for installation on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., maneuver a solar panel into place for installation on NASA?s MESSENGER spacecraft. It is one of two large solar panels, supplemented with a nickel-hydrogen battery, that will provide MESSENGER?s power. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/24/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) monitor the progress of the solar array deployment on the MESSENGER spacecraft. The two panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) monitor the progress of the solar array deployment on the MESSENGER spacecraft. The two panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., hold steady the second solar panel being installed 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. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., hold steady the second solar panel being installed 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. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/25/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare one of two solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft for deployment. The panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare one of two solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft for deployment. The panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA Mission Integration Manager Cheryle Mako and NASA Launch Site Integration Manager John Hueckel talk before the deployment of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft behind them. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA Mission Integration Manager Cheryle Mako and NASA Launch Site Integration Manager John Hueckel talk before the deployment of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft behind them. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft?s complement of hypergolic propellants. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on a journey to Mercury. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., NASA Mission Integration Manager Cheryle Mako and NASA Launch Site Integration Manager John Hueckel talk before the deployment of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft behind them. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare one of two solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft for deployment. The panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare to cover the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft?s complement of hypergolic propellants. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., on a journey to Mercury. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - - After the deployment test of two solar panels at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft?s complement of hypergolic propellants. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - - After the deployment test of two solar panels at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) prepare the MESSESNGER spacecraft for a move to a hazardous processing facility in preparation for loading the spacecraft?s complement of hypergolic propellants. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) check one of two solar panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft after a deployment test. The other panel is at right, undeployed. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., technicians with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) check one of two solar panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft after a deployment test. The other panel is at right, undeployed. The solar arrays will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., a technician with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) watches as one of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft is deployed. The two panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Astrotech in Titusville, Fla., a technician with The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) watches as one of the solar array panels on the MESSENGER spacecraft is deployed. The two panels will provide MESSENGER?s power on its journey to Mercury. MESSENGER is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. The spacecraft uses the tug of Venus? gravity to resize and rotate its trajectory closer to Mercury?s orbit. Three Mercury flybys, each followed about two months later by a course-correction maneuver, put MESSENGER in position to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. During the flybys, MESSENGER will map nearly the entire planet in color, image most of the areas unseen by Mariner 10, and measure the composition of the surface, atmosphere and magnetosphere. It will be the first new data from Mercury in more than 30 years - and invaluable for planning MESSENGER?s year-long orbital mission. MESSENGER was built for NASA by APL in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	06/28/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An overhead crane lifts the MESSENGER spacecraft from its work stand under the watchful eyes and hands of technicians. The spacecraft is being moved to mate it with the Payload Assist Module, the Boeing Delta II third stage, in the foreground. MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. It is expected to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. Processing is being done at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An overhead crane lifts the MESSENGER spacecraft from its work stand under the watchful eyes and hands of technicians. The spacecraft is being moved to mate it with the Payload Assist Module, the Boeing Delta II third stage, in the foreground. MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. It is expected to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. Processing is being done at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla.
Release Date	07/12/2004

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., watch closely as the MESSENGER spacecraft is lowered toward the Payload Assist Module, the Boeing Delta II third stage, below for mating. MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. It is expected to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

Description	KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., watch closely as the MESSENGER spacecraft is lowered toward the Payload Assist Module, the Boeing Delta II third stage, below for mating. MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) is scheduled to launch Aug. 2 aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. It will return to Earth for a gravity boost in July 2005, then fly past Venus twice, in October 2006 and June 2007. It is expected to enter Mercury orbit in March 2011. MESSENGER was built for NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
Release Date	07/12/2004

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