Photo Gallery: Encapsulating the spacecraft

In the Astrotech payload processing facility near Kennedy Space Center on July 18, technicians enclose the Juno spacecraft within the Atlas rocket's nose cone for launch. The shroud protects the spacecraft from aerodynamic pressure and heating during ascent and gets jettisoned once the rocket leaves the Earth's atmosphere.

See our Mission Status Center for the latest news on the launch.

Photo credit: NASA

JUNO LOADED ABOARD TRANSPORTER

Space models