At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California workers monitor the progress of the Stage 0/1 interstage part of the Taurus XL rocket.

At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers monitor the progress of the Stage 0/1 interstage, part of the four-stage Taurus XL rocket that will carry NASA's Glory spacecraft into low Earth orbit, as a crane hoists it toward the pad at Space Launch Complex 576-E.

Once Glory reaches orbit, it will collect data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon. It also will help scientists understand how the sun's irradiance affects Earth's climate. Launch is scheduled for 5:09 a.m. EST Feb. 23. For information, visit www.nasa.gov/glory. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB