CAPE CANAVERAL The first part of a $215 million upgrade to improve launch operations at Cape Canaveral Air Station is complete, but the team hoping to fire off a Boeing Delta 2 rocket Monday night wont notice any difference.

Equipment for satellite links between the launch control center and the first of three downrange tracking sites has been installed, but will first have to undergo testing before the Air Force abandons land-based communications lines, said Lt. Col. Michael Coolidge, the Eastern Test Range program manager.

The range includes launch facilities and ground support stations at Cape Canaveral Air Station, as well as trackings stations near Jupiter, Fla., and the islands of Antigua and Ascension.

The first part of an ongoing effort to modernize the range is to link the launch site and downrange tracking stations via commercial satellites. The range has been closed since July 26 to install new equipment and reopened to support tonights launch of the Delta 2. The rocket is set to blast off at 12:37 a.m. ET Tuesday. It will be carrying four Globalstar communications satellites.

The second part of the upgrade will be to install equipment for the satellite links to Antigua and Ascension islands. The range will be closed again beginning Friday for another eight days to complete that work.