The Taurus XL rocket's 1, 2 and 3 stages are prepared for their first flight simulation which will include.

At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Taurus XL rocket's 1, 2 and 3 stages are prepared for their first flight simulation, which will include testing voltages, currents, pressures, temperatures and thruster firings. The four-stage rocket is being prepared to carry NASA's Glory satellite into low Earth orbit and will lift off from Vandenberg's Launch Pad SLC 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. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB