Orbital Sciences Corp. technicians install the second petal to the aft end of the Taurus XL rocket's first stage motor.

In Building 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Corp. technicians install the second petal to the aft end of the Taurus XL rocket's first stage motor. Three pedals will essentially make up the aft skirt of the first stage, covering and protecting a myriad of cabling.

The Orbital Sciences Taurus XL rocket, targeted to lift off Feb. 23, 2011, from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 576-E, will take NASA's Glory satellite into low Earth. Glory is scheduled to 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. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB