image: NOAA's Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft, or DSCOVR is being unwrapped for the New Year and prepared for launch. In this photo, DSCOVR, wrapped in plastic, comes into view as the protective shipping container is lifted from around the spacecraft at the Astrotech payload processing facility in Titusville, Florida, near NASA's Kennedy Space Center. DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA and the US Air Force. DSCOVR will maintain the nation's real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities which are critical to the accuracy and lead time of NOAA's space weather alerts and forecasts. Launch is currently scheduled for January 2015 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 v 1.1 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. This photo was taken on November 24, 2014. view more
Credit: NASA's Kennedy Space Center Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett