At Vandenberg Air Force Base the payload cone for NASA's Glory mission is pictures secured inside its carrier.

At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the payload cone for NASA's Glory mission is pictures secured inside its cargo carrier. The payload cone is an adapter that interfaces the Taurus XL rocket with the spacecraft.

A four-stage Taurus XL rocket will carry Glory into low Earth orbit. 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 2:09 a.m. PST Nov. 22. For information, visit www.nasa.gov/glory. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB