At Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC workers at left move a turnover fixture.

At Astrotech Space Operations facilities near KSC, workers at left move a turnover fixture toward the Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft. The turnover fixture will rotate the spacecraft for prelaunch testing. MESSENGER is undergoing prelaunch testing at the site. Launch is scheduled for May 11 from Pad 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft will fly past Venus three times and Mercury twice before starting a year-long orbital study of Mercury in July 2009.