At Launch Complex 17 a crane raises the second stage of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle for the STEREO spacecraft.

At Launch Complex 17 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a crane raises the second stage of the Boeing Delta II launch vehicle for the STEREO spacecraft. The stage has been returned to the pad after being tested for leaks in the High-Pressure Test Facility; no leak was observed. The stage will again be lifted into the mobile service tower and remated with the Delta first stage. STEREO stands for Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory and comprises two spacecraft. The STEREO mission is the first to take measurements of the sun and solar wind in 3-dimension. This new view will improve our understanding of space weather and its impact on the Earth. STEREO is expected to lift off on Aug. 31. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis