[X] My Assistant

[djellison]

I like to keep on eye on proceedings at KSC..

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countd.../video45lh.html

and this place..





has just had a webcam turned on - looks like the old MER final build facility - and I imagine MRO will go there as well before being integrated to the launch vehicle down the road at the LockMart facility.

Doug

[djellison]

Payload fairing

One of the cunning things about the Atlas integration process is that instead of putting the payload in a canister, taking the canister to the pad, open the canister, put the payload on top of the rocket, get the fairing, and fit it around the payload....

You simply put the payload in the fairing here, then take the whole lot, fairing and spacecraft inside - over to the tower and plop it on top - the fairing acting as a pseudo-cannister protecting the payload.

Doug