[ExI] Dawn launch pics (encapsulation with aerodynamical fairing)

[Amara Graps]

Here you see pictures of the task of encapsulating the Dawn
spacecraft to protect it during launch and ascent by giving it an
aerodynamically smooth nose cone via a 'fairing'.


http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=173


The 'go' for launch is pending a final review of the weather and
availability of support (airplane and ship) for post-launch tracking.
The decision will be made Thursday, as I understand. The launch window
opens up on Saturday, for five days. If Dawn misses it, then the launch
will be pushed back to September. (Partly because of competition
with the launch window of the Mars Phoenix spacecraft, getting ready
now on the adjacent launch pad.)


Amara
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Amara Graps, PhD      www.amara.com
INAF Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario (IFSI), Roma, ITALIA
Associate Research Scientist, Planetary Science Institute (PSI), Tucson