Spacecraft Maintenance and Engineering

Technicians working on spacecraft components, engines, and processing activities at aerospace facilities, focusing on advancements in space technology.

T & R Discovery, Right OMS Pod Removal

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle main engine No. 2, which was removed from shuttle Discovery, will undergo routine inspections on a work stand in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The removal was part of Discovery's transition and retirement processing. Work performed on Discovery is expected to help rocket designers build next-generation spacecraft and prepare the shuttle for future public display.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians on a Hyster forklift guide replica shuttle main engine 2, or RSME 2, closer for installation on space shuttle Endeavour as USA technicians in the aft area monitor the progress. The orbiter is surrounded by work platforms allowing access to all areas of the spacecraft.The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Horizontal Integration Facility at Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a team of rocket specialists monitors the progress of the operation to mate the second stage of a Delta IV rocket to the first stage.This United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket is slated to launch GOES-P, the latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Launch is targeted for Feb. 25.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians help guide a large crane as it lowers the forward reaction control system (FRCS) for installation on space shuttle Endeavour. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement processing of Endeavour. The FRCS helped maneuver a shuttle while it was in orbit. The FRCS was removed from Endeavour and sent to White Sands Test Facility in N.M. to be cleaned of its toxic propellants. Endeavour is being prepared for display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

T & R Discovery, Right OMS Pod Removal

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians using a Hyster forklift "stab" one of the three main engines on space shuttle Discovery to remove it. Engine removal is part of the post-landing processing. Discovery completed the STS-119 mission March 28 with a landing at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility. Each engine is 14 feet long, weighs about 6,700 pounds, and is 7.5 feet in diameter at the end of the nozzle. Discovery next will be used on the STS-128 mission to deliver supplies and equipment to the International Space Station. The launch is targeted for Aug. 6.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians move the work platforms away from a Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne space shuttle main engine, or SSME, hanging above the floor inside the SSME Processing Facility, the engine shop at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Operations are under way to rotate the engine into a horizontal position on a portable workstand.The engine is one of the last SSMEs remaining at Kennedy and is being prepared for shipment to NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The first two groups of engines were shipped from Kennedy to Stennis in November 2011 and January 2012 the remaining engines are scheduled to depart on April 9. Altogether, 15 shuttle-era engines will be stored at Stennis for reuse on NASAs Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, under development.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a space shuttle main engine is positioned to the right height for installation on space shuttle Atlantis for its upcoming STS-132 mission. A main engine is 14 feet long, weighs approximately 7,000 pounds, and is 7.5 feet in diameter at the end of the nozzle. Inspection and maintenance of each of the shuttle's three main engines are an important safety measure and standard procedure between shuttle missions. Atlantis is scheduled to deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and Russian-built Mini Research Module to the International Space Station on STS-132. The second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia, the module will be permanently attached to the Zarya module. Three spacewalks are planned to store spare components outside the station, including six spare batteries, a boom assembly for the Ku-band antenna and spares for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm extension. A radiator,

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Processing Facility, Boeing-Rocketdyne move conductor Bob Brackett (center) oversees the work of technicians on his team as they remove the crane used to lift SSME 2058, the first SSME fully assembled at KSC, from its vertical work stand. The engine has been placed into a horizontal position in preparation for shipment to NASAs Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to undergo a hot fire acceptance test. It is the first of five engines to be fully assembled on site to reach the desired number of 15 engines ready for launch at any given time in the Space Shuttle program. A Space Shuttle has three reusable main engines. Each is 14 feet long, weighs about 7,800 pounds, is seven-and-a-half feet in diameter at the end of its nozzle, and generates almost 400,000 pounds of thrust. Historically, SSMEs were assembled in Canoga Park, Calif., with post-flight inspections performed at KSC. Both functions were consolidated in Febru

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians ready the forward reaction control system (FRCS) for installation on space shuttle Discovery.The FRCS was returned from White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico where it underwent a complete deservicing and cleaning. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Discovery. Discovery is being prepared for display at Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

STS-133 DISCOVERY ENGINE-2 INSTLN

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians assist as a large crane lowers space shuttle Atlantis remote manipulator system (RMS) robotic arm onto a special carrier platform.The RMS will be transported to NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston for possible use on future spaceflights. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. The shuttle is being prepared for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

In the Integration Facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft sits in its horizontal position, poised for its encapsulation into the upper stage of its Soyuz booster Nov. 9. Expedition 50-51 crewmembers Peggy Whitson of NASA, Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency will launch on the Soyuz Nov. 18, Baikonur time, for a six-month mission on the International Space Station.NASA/Alexander Vysotsky

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, workers guide the Hyster fork lift close to Atlantis to install a Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) in position number 1 (upper chamber). Overall, an SSME weighs approximately 7,000 pounds. Three engines provide the thrust, along with the two Solid Rocket Boosters, for liftoff. After about 2 minutes, the two boosters are spent and are separated from the external tank. The SSMEs continue firing for about 8 minutes. They shut down just before the craft is inserted into orbit. The SSMEs are tested at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Atlantis is being processed for the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, scheduled for launch in a window from July 12 through July 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians back one of three main engines on space shuttle Atlantis away from the shuttle using a specially designed Hyster engine lift.Inspection and maintenance of each main engine is standard procedure following a shuttle mission. Atlantis next is slated to deliver an Integrated Cargo Carrier and Russian-built Mini Research Module to the International Space Station on the STS-132 mission. The second in a series of new pressurized components for Russia, the module will be permanently attached to the Zarya module. Three spacewalks are planned to store spare components outside the station, including six spare batteries, a boom assembly for the Ku-band antenna and spares for the Canadian Dextre robotic arm extension. A radiator, airlock and European robotic arm for the Russian Multi-purpose Laboratory Module also are payloads on the flight. Launch is targete

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, an overhead crane moves the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module - Pressurized Module across the floor toward a payload canister. The canister will deliver the module, part of the payload for space shuttle Discoverys STS-124 mission, to Launch Pad 39A. On the mission, the STS-124 crew will transport the Kibo module as well as the Japanese Remote Manipulator System to the International Space Station to complete the Kibo laboratory. The launch of Discovery is targeted for May 31.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, technicians prepare the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as Dextre, for its move onto a pallet. Processing of the payload is under way for its mission to the International Space Station. Dextre will work with the mobile base and Canadarm2 on the station to perform critical construction and maintenance tasks. Dextre is part of the payload scheduled on mission STS-123, targeted to launch Feb. 14, 2008.

The Soyuz rocket and Soyuz TMA-13M spacecraft is assembled at Building 112 on the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Sunday, May 25, 2014 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz is scheduled for May 29 and will send Expedition 40 Soyuz Commander Maxim Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency, Roscosmos, Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, ESA, and Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman of NASA to the International Space Station for a five and a half month stay.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers make adjustments to install space shuttle main engine No. 3 in space shuttle Discovery. Each engine is 14 feet long, weighs about 6,700 pounds, and is 7.5 feet in diameter at the end of the nozzle. Discovery is being processed for its next mission, STS-119, targeted for launch on Feb. 12, 2009. Discovery and its crew will deliver integrated truss structure 6 (S6) and solar arrays to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the Columbia Reconstruction Project Team seek to place a piece of debris from Columbia on this replica of the leading edge of the left wing. The team continues to examine and identify pieces of debris that were shipped to KSC. The items at KSC number more than 82,000, weigh 84,800 pounds or 38 percent of the total dry weight of Columbia. Of those items, 78,760 have been identified, with 753 placed on the left wing grid in the RLV Hangar.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the Hyster lift backs away from the orbiter Discovery after placing a Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) into position for installation. Discovery is the vehicle designated for the Return to Flight mission STS-114. Overall, an SSME weighs approximately 7,000 pounds. An SSME operates at greater temperature extremes than any mechanical system in common use today. The liquid hydrogen fuel is -423 degrees Fahrenheit, the second coldest liquid on Earth. When the hydrogen is burned with liquid oxygen, the temperature in the engine's combustion chamber reaches +6000 degrees Fahrenheit -- that's higher than the boiling point of Iron. The maximum equivalent horsepower developed by the three SSMEs is just over 37 million horsepower. The energy released by the three SSMEs is equivalent to the output of 23 Hoover Dams.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, technicians work the engine installer to maneuver main engine 1 into place on space shuttle Endeavour. The scheduled launch vehicle for the STS-126 mission, Endeavour will deliver a multi-purpose logistics module to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for Nov. 10. Endeavour is also the backup shuttle, if needed for rescue, for the STS-125 mission in October that will make repairs on the Hubble Space Telescope. For that purpose, it is designated STS-400.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility bay 2, the orbiter boom sensor system is lifted from its stand for installation in Endeavour. The orbiter is scheduled to fly on mission STS-118 to the International Space Station in the summer of 2007. It will deliver the third starboard truss segment, S5.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, large access platforms are being moved into place around space shuttle Atlantis in preparation for removal of the left orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. The OMS pods will be sent to White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico where they will undergo a complete deservicing and cleaning and then be returned to Kennedy for reinstallation on Atlantis. Atlantis is being prepared for display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians on the Hyster forklift position replica shuttle main engine RSME number 2 for installation on space shuttle Atlantis. Three RSMEs will be installed on Atlantis. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Engine No. 3 is ready to be installed on Discovery in the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3. The main engine configuration is manufactured by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, Calif., and includes a Pratt & Whitney high-pressure fuel turbo pump. Each space shuttle main engine is 14 feet long, weighs about 6,700 pounds, and is 7.5 feet in diameter at the end of the nozzle. Discovery is being processed for its next mission, STS-116 (12A.1), to deliver a third truss segment, a SPACEHAB module and other key components to the International Space Station. The launch is currently scheduled no earlier than Dec. 14.

T&R Endeavour, Alta Pod Installation/Demo, Enterprise/Smithsonia, Day 2

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the left orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod is rotated into position on space shuttle Atlantis for reinstallation.The orbital maneuvering system provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system. The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttle's aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Pla

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Technicians in the Orbiter Processing Facility carefully maneuver the third Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) into place on Discovery. Discovery is designated as the Return to Flight vehicle for mission STS-114. Recent improvements to the SSME include the introduction of redesigned high-pressure turbopumps into the SSME fleet. The new pumps are designed and built by Pratt and Whitney at West Palm Beach, Fla. SSMEs and the Pratt and Whitney turbopumps are tested at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Engines and engine components are delivered to Kennedy Space Center to be prepared for flight.

NEXT-C flight PPU

Technicians at Textron in Wimington, MA, perform X-ray testing on the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) Orion heat shield on Nov. 23, 2013. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inside the Horizontal Integration Facility, or HIF, at Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the upper stage for the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy for Exploration Flight Test-1, or EFT-1, is being prepared for removal from its transportation container. The upper stage, along with the port booster and spacecraft adapter arrived by barge at the U.S. Army Outpost wharf at Port Canaveral in Florida and were transported to the HIF.At the HIF, all three booster stages will be processed and checked out before being moved to the nearby launch pad and hoisted into position. The spacecraft adapter will connect Orion to the ULA Delta IV, and also will connect Orion to NASA's new rocket, the Space Launch System, on its first mission in 2017. During the EFT-1 mission, Orion will travel farther into space than any human spacecraft has gone in more than 40 years. The data gathered during the flight will influence design decisions, va

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, a Hyster fork lift (left) holding a Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) maneuvers into position number 1 (upper chamber) behind Atlantis for installation. Overall, an SSME weighs approximately 7,000 pounds. Three engines provide the thrust, along with the two Solid Rocket Boosters, for liftoff. After about 2 minutes, the two boosters are spent and are separated from the external tank. The SSMEs continue firing for about 8 minutes. They shut down just before the craft is inserted into orbit. The SSMEs are tested at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. Atlantis is being processed for the second Return to Flight mission, STS-121, scheduled for launch in a window from July 12 through July 31.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers check the progress of external fuel tank ET-131 as it is lowered into a high bay for checkout. ET-131 will be used on space shuttle Endeavour's STS-127 mission. Payload for the mission is the Japanese Experiment Module's Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section, or ELM-ES. Launch is targeted for June.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a replica shuttle main engine (RSME) lines up for installation on space shuttle Discovery with the aid of a Hyster forklift, a specially designed engine installer.The RSME is one of three being installed on Discovery during Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement activities. The replicas are built in the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engine shop at Kennedy to replace the shuttle engines which will be placed in storage to support NASA's Space Launch System, under development. Discovery is being prepared for display at the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

First weld of Orion Exploration Mission 1 crew module

Orion IOZ Progress. Inside the high bay of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and NASA technicians work on the Orion crew module for the agencys Artemis IV mission on May 26, 2023. Artemis IV will be the first operational mission to Gateway - an outpost in lunar orbit serving as a staging point for deep space exploration - followed by a week-long surface mission on the Moon. Also sharing space in the high bay are the crew modules for Artemis II and Artemis III.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, the rear body flap is lifted into place on the orbiter Discovery. The body flap, which is temporarily under protective covering, attaches below the main engines.

. Lockheed Martin Photography By Garry Tice1011 Lockheed Way, Palmdale, Ca. 93599Event: Date: Additional Info:

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one of three main engines on space shuttle Discovery has been removed using a specially designed Hyster engine lift. Inspection and maintenance of each main engine is standard procedure following a shuttle mission. Discovery next will deliver NASA's Permanent Multi-purpose Module, or PMM, the Express Logistics Carrier 4, and critical spare parts to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. Launch is targeted for fall 2010.

Lockheed Martin technicians at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana, complete the final weld on the pressure vessel of the Orion crew module for Artemis II on July 24, 2018, the first flight of Orion with astronauts which will carry them farther into the solar system than ever before.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians carefully remove main engine No. 1 from space shuttle Discovery using a specially designed engine installer, called a Hyster forklift. The work is taking place in Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The removal is part of Discovery's transition and retirement processing. Work performed on Discovery is expected to help rocket designers build next-generation spacecraft and prepare the shuttle for future public display.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians assist as a large crane lowers the forward reaction control system (FRCS) for installation on space shuttle Endeavour. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement processing of Endeavour. The FRCS helped maneuver a shuttle while it was in orbit. The FRCS was removed from Endeavour and sent to White Sands Test Facility in N.M. to be cleaned of its toxic propellants. Endeavour is being prepared for display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, employees work within the aft end of space shuttle Discovery, where a replica shuttle main engine (RSME) is being installed.This is the first of three replica engines to be installed. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of Discovery. Discovery is being prepared for display at the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

T & R Discovery, Right OMS Pod Removal

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The new block 2 engine for the orbiter Atlantis is moved into place next to the other two engines. The work is being done in the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3. The engine will have its first flight on mission STS-104, scheduled for launch June 14. The Block II Main Engine configuration is manufactured by Boeing Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, Calif., and includes a new Pratt & Whitney high-pressure fuel turbo pump. Engine improvements are managed by NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Each Space Shuttle Main Engine is 14 feet (4.3 meters) long, weighs about 7,000 pounds (3,175 kilograms), and is 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) in diameter at the end of the nozzle

STS-133 DISCOVERY - SPACE SHUTTE MAIN ENGINE (SSME) #1 REMOVAL

The Soyuz rocket and Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft are assembled at Building 112 on the Baikonur Cosmodrome, on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz rocket is scheduled for September 26 and will send Expedition 37 Soyuz Commander Oleg Kotov, NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins and Russian Flight Engineer Sergei Ryazansky on a five and a half-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians complete the removal of main engine No. 3 from space shuttle Discovery using a specially designed engine installer, called a Hyster forklift. The work is taking place in Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The removal is part of Discovery's transition and retirement processing. Work performed on Discovery is expected to help rocket designers build next-generation spacecraft and prepare the shuttle for future public display.NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians prepare to remove the right-hand orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod from Discovery. Removal of the OMS pods is part of the orbiter processing activities to prepare Discovery for its next launch, the STS-133 mission. The STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is targeted for launch in the fall of 2010. Discoverys six-person crew will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier 4.

Technicians begin welding the Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) Orion pressure vessel at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Sept. 9, 2011. Orions pressure vessel is underlying frame of the crew module that will provide an air-tight, habitable space for astronauts on future missions to the Moon. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Boeing technicians join Node 1 for the International Space Station (ISS) with the Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA)-1 in KSCs Space Station Processing Facility. This PMA, identifiable by its bright red ring, is a cone-shaped connector for the space stations structural building block, known as Node 1. Seen here surrounded by scaffolding, Node 1 will have two PMAs attached, the second of which is scheduled for mating to the node in January 1998. The node and PMAs, which will be the first element of the ISS, are scheduled to be launched aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-88 in July 1998

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. - Technicians perform a fit check on an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket as the launcher is processed for the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph mission known as IRIS. The technicians are attaching the wing of the Pegasus to the fuselage.

STS-335 STS-135 ATLANTIS ENGINE-2 INSTALLATION

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility bay 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Atlantis nose wheels are cycled to test compression of the new Thermal Protection System seal. Processing continues on Atlantis for mission STS-121 to the International Space Station. The second Return to Flight mission, STS-121 is scheduled for liftoff in a launch window extending from Sept. 9 - 24.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians carefully remove engine No. 2, one of three space shuttle main engines from Endeavour, using a specially designed engine installer, called a Hyster forklift.The removal is part of Endeavour's transition and retirement processing. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles over the course of its 19-year career.

Discovery T&R Removal of Heat Shield Around Engine #3

EM-2 Pressure Vessel in Bird Cage in the O&C

. These photos and videos show how technicians at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans installed the third and fourth RS-25 engines onto the core stage for the agencys SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will help power NASAs first crewed Artemis mission to the Moon. Technicians added the first engine to the SLS core stage Sept. 11. The second engine was installed onto the stage Sept. 15 with the third and fourth engines following Sept. 19 and Sept. 20. Engineers consider the engines to be soft mated to the rocket stage. Technicians with NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company and the RS-25 engines lead contractor, along with Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, will now focus efforts on the complex tax of fully securing the engines to the stage and integrating the propulsion and electrical systems within the structure. NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASAs backbone for deep sp

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians keep a close watch as the Hyster forklift backs away from the space shuttle Endeavour following installation of replica shuttle main engine RSME number 3 inside Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The orbiter is surrounded by work platforms allowing access to all areas of the spacecraft.The work is part of Transition and Retirement of the remaining space shuttles, Endeavour and Atlantis. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Its ferry flight to California is targeted for mid-September. Endeavour was the last space shuttle added to NASAs orbiter fleet. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an overhead crane lifts the Kibo Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section, or ELM-ES. The ELM-ES will be moved to a workstand. The ELM-ES is one of the final components of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory for the International Space Station. It can provide payload storage space and can carry up to three payloads at launch. The ELM-ES will be carried aboard space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission targeted for launch June 13.

Discovery T&R Removal of Heat Shield Around Engine #3

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians stand on the Hyster forklift as replica shuttle main engine RSME number 2 is installed on the space shuttle Atlantis. Other technicians work inside the aft compartment securing the RSME in place.Three RSMEs were installed on Atlantis. The replicas were built in the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engine shop at KSC to replace the space shuttle main engines SSMEs which will be placed in storage to support NASA's Space Launch System currently under development. The RSME installation is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18, 2012 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex during November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

THE OVERHEAD VIEW OF THE FLOOR OF THE FRICTION STIR HIGH BAY AREA IN BUILDING 4755. THIS VIEW SHOWS FOUR DOME PIECES AS WELL AS THE SHELL BUCKLE BARREL PANEL IN THE VERTICAL WELD TOOL

VANDENBERG AFB, Calif. - Technicians perform a fit check on an Orbital Sciences Pegasus rocket as the launcher is processed for the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph mission known as IRIS. The technicians are attaching the portion of the Pegasus that joins the wing to the fuselage, a piece called a fillet.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) Shop, the SSME is lifted and moved toward the Hyster lift that will transport it to the Orbiter Processing Facility. There it will be installed in the orbiter Discovery for Return to Flight mission STS-114. This is the third SSME to be installed in Discovery. Overall, an SSME weighs approximately 7,000 pounds. An SSME operates at greater temperature extremes than any mechanical system in common use today. The liquid hydrogen fuel is -423 degrees Fahrenheit, the second coldest liquid on Earth. When the hydrogen is burned with liquid oxygen, the temperature in the engine's combustion chamber reaches +6000 degrees Fahrenheit -- higher than the boiling point of iron. Each SSME is controlled by its own computer, which checks the health of the engines 50 times per second during countdown and ascent. The controller can shut an engine down if it detects a problem.

Modern industrial factory mechanism for furniture production Low angle of working machine with pipes and assembly line installed inside contemporary industrial factory manufacturing furniture Copyright: xZoonar.com/AndreyxGuryanovx 16038969

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, Discovery waits as the first of three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) moves into position for installation on Discovery, the vehicle designated for the Return to Flight mission STS-114. Overall, an SSME weighs approximately 7,000 pounds. An SSME operates at greater temperature extremes than any mechanical system in common use today. The liquid hydrogen fuel is -423 degrees Fahrenheit, the second coldest liquid on Earth. When the hydrogen is burned with liquid oxygen, the temperature in the engine's combustion chamber reaches +6000 degrees Fahrenheit -- that's higher than the boiling point of Iron. The maximum equivalent horsepower developed by the three SSMEs is just over 37 million horsepower. The energy released by the three SSMEs is equivalent to the output of 23 Hoover Dams.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the orbiter boom sensor system, or OBSS, removed from space shuttle Discovery's payload bay, is positioned over a transporter. The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the end of the shuttles robotic arm and supports the cameras and laser systems used to inspect the shuttles thermal protection system while in space. The OBSS' inspection boom assembly, or IBA, is removed from the arm every other processing flow for a detailed inspection. After five consecutive flights, all IBA internal components are submitted to a thorough electrical checkout in Kennedy's Remote Manipulator System Lab. Discovery next will deliver the first Permanent Multi-purpose Module, or PMM; the Express Logistics Carrier 4; and critical spare parts to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. Launch is targeted for Sept. 16.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Workers prepare to lift the second stage of a Delta IV from its transporter in the Horizontal Integration Facility at Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.This United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket is the vehicle slated to launch GOES-P, the latest Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite developed by NASA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Processing of the Delta IV is on track for launch, targeted for March 4, 2010.

STS-133 DISCOBVERY ENGINE-3 REMOVAL IN OPF-3 AND XFERRED TO ENGINE SHOP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane lifts the remote manipulator system, or RMS, from space shuttle Endeavour's payload bay.The removal is part of Endeavour's transition and retirement processing. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles over the course of its 19-year career.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United Space Alliance technicians monitor the progress after a large crane lowers the left orbital maneuvering system, or OMS, pod onto space shuttle Atlantis. The OMS provided the shuttle with thrust for orbit insertion, rendezvous and deorbit, and could provide up to 1,000 pounds of propellant to the aft reaction control system.The OMS is housed in two independent pods located on each side of the shuttles aft fuselage. Each pod contains one OMS engine and the hardware needed to pressurize, store and distribute the propellants to perform the velocity maneuvers. Atlantis OMS pods were removed and sent to White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico to be cleaned of residual toxic propellant. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the space shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis future home, a 65,000-square-foot ex

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Engine No. 2, one of three space shuttle main engines removed from Endeavour in the Orbiter Processing Facility-1, has arrived at the Space Shuttle Main Engine Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The removal is part of Endeavour's transition and retirement processing. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour flew 25 missions, spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled 122,883,151 miles over the course of its 19-year career.

Technicians Lift, Prepare Artemis III SLS Intertank for Next Phase of Production at NASA Michoud. Technicians at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans lift the intertank of the SLS (Space Launch System)s core stage for NASAs Artemis III mission to move it to another location in the 43-acre factory for further inspection and production. The intertank is the backbone of the rockets core stage and is located between the mega rockets liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank. In addition to joining the rockets two massive propellant tanks, the intertank houses avionics and electronics and serves as an attachment point for the rockets two solid rocket boosters positioned on either side of the core stage. The liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank hold 733,000 gallons of super-cold propellant to power the stages four RS-25 engines needed for liftoff. Together, the rockets four RS-25 engines and two solid rocket boosters provide more than 8.8 million pounds to launch NASAs an

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Using a Hyster forklift, workers install space shuttle main engine No. 1 (top) in space shuttle Discovery in Orbiter Processing Facility bay 3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each engine is 14 feet long, weighs about 6,700 pounds, and is 7.5 feet in diameter at the end of the nozzle. Discovery is being processed for its next mission, STS-119, targeted for launch on Feb. 12, 2009. Discovery and its crew will deliver integrated truss structure 6 (S6) and solar arrays to the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Endeavour is ready to be rolled out of the Orbiter Processing Facility for temporary transfer to the Vehicle Assembly Building. The move allows work to be performed in the OPF that can only be accomplished while the bay is empty. Work scheduled in the OPF includes annual validation of the bays cranes, work platforms, lifting mechanisms and jack stands. Endeavour will remain in the VAB for approximately 12 days, then return to the OPF.

France, Toulouse on 2023-09-21. As part of the roll-out of the vocational lycée reform, Carole GRANDJEAN, the French Minister for Vocational Education, will be in Toulouse on Thursday 21 September to talk to students, apprentices and teachers from the aeronautics sector. The Minister will be speaking to students and teachers at the "Airbus" high school. The only one of its kind in France, this vocational school, which works in partnership with the Lycée Saint Exupéry, trains 500 students each year, from CAP to BTS, in aeronautical professions. Photograph by Martin Bertrand.France, Toulouse le 2023-09-21. Dans le cadre du déploiement de la réforme du lycée professionnel, Carole GRANDJEAN, ministre de l'Enseignement professionnel, sera à Toulouse le jeudi 21 septembre pour échanger avec des lycéens, des apprentis et des enseignants du secteur aéronautique. La ministre interviendra auprès des élèves et des enseignants du lycée "Airbus". Unique en France, ce lycée professionnel, qui trava

. On May 24, 2022, the core stage production team moved the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket engine section for Artemis II to the core stage final integration area at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. While there, the engine section team is completing installation of the main propulsion systems, finishing integration of the electrical and avionics systems, and preparing for functional testing of the various systems. During final integration, the team also will install remaining internal thermal protection systems and prepare to position the engine section from vertical to horizontal so that it can be joined with the rest of the core stage. The engine section is located at the bottom of the core stage and includes the rockets main propulsion systems that connect to the core stages four RS-25 engines that will help launch the Artemis II lunar mission. This fall, the engine section will be horizontally integrated with the previously-joined forward assembly and liquid hydroge

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Working at the main landing gear, technicians complete weight and center-of-gravity checks of space shuttle Atlantis in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of the shuttle fleet. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18, 2012, for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex during November in preparation for the exhibit's grand opening in July 2013.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis is loaded onto the orbiter transporter vehicle in Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The shuttle is being prepared for its move from the OPF to the Vehicle Assembly Building during transition and retirement work. Later, the shuttle will be taken to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where it will go on public display.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-1 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the camera catches a glimpse of the complex infrastructure in space shuttle Atlantis aft compartment as operations get under way to remove one of three fuel lines that supplied liquid hydrogen propellant to Atlantis main engines.The liquid hydrogen lines will be placed in storage to preserve the option to reuse them on NASAs Space Launch System heavy-lift vehicle, under development. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Programs transition and retirement processing of shuttle Atlantis. A groundbreaking was held Jan. 18 for Atlantis' future home, a 65,000-square-foot exhibit hall in Shuttle Plaza at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Atlantis is scheduled to roll over to the visitor complex in November in preparation for the exhibits grand opening in July 2013.

. Crews at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans move the forward skirt of NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to another part of the facility Dec. 15. Teams are preparing to apply the thermal protection system to the flight hardware, which will protect it from the extreme temperatures during launch and flight. The forward skirt is part of the core stage that will power the SLS rocket for the Artemis III mission. The forward skirt houses flight computers, cameras, and avionics..The SLS core stage is made up of five unique elements: the forward skirt, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, liquid hydrogen tank, and the engine section. When fully stacked, the forward skirt is located at the top of the core stage and connects the stage to the upper part of the rocket. Together with its four RS-25 engines, the rockets massive 212-foot-tall core stage the largest stage NASA has ever built and its twin solid rocket boosters produce 8.8 million pounds of thrust to send NASAs Orion space

Teams completed the welding of the Artemis III core stage liquid oxygen tank dome at the NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Crews moved the dome, which is the top of the tank. The dome was moved to an assembly area where it will be loaded into a robotic welder that will join it with the forward barrel to create half of the liquid oxygen tank. Later another barrel and dome will be added to complete the entire tank. The Space Launch System (SLS) core stage liquid oxygen tank holds 196,000 gallons of super-cooled liquid propellant that serves as one of the propellants for the four RS-25 engines. The SLS core stage is made up of five unique elements: the forward skirt, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, liquid hydrogen tank, and the engine section. The liquid oxygen and the liquid hydrogen tank will provide propellant to the four RS-25 engines to produce more than two million pounds of thrust to help launch NASAs Orion spacecraft, astronauts, and supplies beyond Earths orbit

Space Launch System Corestage-2 (Artemis-2) Intertank is undergoing mechanical assembly at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In Building 1555's west bay at Vandenberg AFB, the second stage of the Taurus rocket is moved onto the stationary rails. The Taurus will launch the Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, in 2009. The OCO is a new Earth-orbiting mission sponsored by NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder Program.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, workers look down from spaces allotted for the main engines as the rear body flap is lifted for installation on the orbiter Discovery. The body flap, which is temporarily under protective covering, attaches below the main engines.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility bay No. 1, one of the three main engines for space shuttle Atlantis is poised for installation. Main engine No. 1 has already been installed. Atlantis is the designated vehicle for the STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. Launch is targeted for Oct. 8.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Technicians carefully remove main engine No. 1 from space shuttle Discovery using a specially designed engine installer, called a Hyster forklift. The work is taking place in Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The removal is part of Discovery's transition and retirement processing. Work performed on Discovery is expected to help rocket designers build next-generation spacecraft and prepare the shuttle for future public display.

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians check the position of a solid rocket motor for the United Launch Alliance Delta II that will carry NASA's National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project (NPP) satellite at NASA's Space Launch Complex-2. NPP represents a critical first step in building the next-generation of Earth-observing satellites. NPP will carry the first of the new sensors developed for this satellite fleet, now known as the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) to be launched in 2016. NPP is the bridge between NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites and the forthcoming series of JPSS satellites. The mission will test key technologies and instruments for the JPSS missions. NPP is targeted to launch Oct. 25.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, a worker checks out part of Atlantis after payload bay doors were closed in preparation for the expected impact of Hurricane Frances on Saturday. Other preparations at KSC include powering down the Space Shuttle orbiters and stowing the landing gear. Workers are also taking precautions against flooding by moving spacecraft hardware off the ground and sandbagging facilities. The Orbiter Processing Facility is constructed of concrete and steel and was designed to withstand winds of 105 mph. The Vehicle Assembly Building is constructed of concrete and steel and was designed to withstand winds of 125 mph. Other payload and flight hardware support facilities can endure winds of 110 mph. Launch pads and the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility can withstand 125-mph winds.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Various elements intended for the International Space Station are lined up in the Space Station Processing Facility. The newest to arrive at KSC are in the rear: at left, the U.S. Node 2, and next to it at right, the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The two elements are undergoing a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT). Node 2 attaches to the end of the U.S. Lab on the ISS and provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS. Developed by the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), the JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-3 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are under way to lift the orbiter boom sensor system, or OBSS, from space shuttle Discovery's payload bay. The workers are dressed in clean-room attire, known as 'bunny suits.' The 50-foot-long OBSS attaches to the end of the shuttles robotic arm and supports the cameras and laser systems used to inspect the shuttles thermal protection system while in space. The OBSS' inspection boom assembly, or IBA, is removed from the arm every other processing flow for a detailed inspection. After five consecutive flights, all IBA internal components are submitted to a thorough electrical checkout in Kennedy's Remote Manipulator System Lab. Discovery next will deliver the first Permanent Multi-purpose Module, or PMM; the Express Logistics Carrier 4; and critical spare parts to the International Space Station on the STS-133 mission. Launch is targeted for Sept. 16.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers attach a crane to the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section, or ELM-PS, of the Japanese Experiment Module, called Kibo. The module will be lifted from the work stand and placed in a payload canister for eventual transfer to Launch Pad 39A. The ELM-PS is the primary payload for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-123 mission, which is targeted for launch to the International Space Station on March 11.

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. - Inside a processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians assist as a crane lowers the wing closer for a fit check with the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL launch vehicle.NASAs Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS, spacecraft will launch aboard the Pegasus XL in late 2012. IRIS will open a new window of discovery by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the chromospheres and transition region into the suns corona using spectrometry and imaging. IRIS fills a crucial gap in our ability to advance studies of the sun-to-Earth connection by tracing the flow of energy and plasma through the foundation of the corona and heliosphere, or region around the sun.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians monitor the progress as a large crane lifts a new engine and generator for installation on crawler-transporter 2 CT-2). The Apollo era diesel engines were removed last month. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2 so that it can carry NASAs Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, which is under design, and new Orion spacecraft to the launch pad. The crawler-transporters were used to carry the mobile launcher platform and space shuttle to Launch Complex 39 for space shuttle launches for 30 years.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a large crane is lifted away from space shuttle Endeavour while United Space Alliance technicians complete the installation of the left orbital maneuvering system OMS pod. The OMS pod underwent complete deservicing and cleaning at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, part of the transition and retirement processing of each shuttle. Endeavour is being prepared for public display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Over the course of its 19-year career, Endeavour spent 299 days in space during 25 missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - In Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians monitor the progress as a large crane lifts and moves the forward reaction control system (FRCS) for installation on space shuttle Endeavour. The work is part of the Space Shuttle Program transition and retirement processing of Endeavour. The FRCS helped maneuver a shuttle while it was in orbit. The FRCS was removed from Endeavour and sent to White Sands Test Facility in N.M. to be cleaned of its toxic propellants. Endeavour is being prepared for display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

The engine of a C-117 aircraft is separated from the wing prior to shipment for use elsewhere. The C-117 is being retired from active duty. Base: Marine Corps Air Station,Iwakuni Country: Japan (JPN)

The Soyuz rocket and Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is assembled at Building 112 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Monday, Sept. 22, 2014, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Launch of the Soyuz is scheduled for Sept. 26 and will send Expedition 41 Soyuz Commander Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Barry Wilmore of NASA, and Flight Engineer Elena Serova of Roscosmos to the International Space Station for a five and a half month stay.

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