In Photos: Juno's Amazing Views of Jupiter

Atlas 5 Carrying Juno Spacecraft with Launch Complex 41 in Background

In preparation for launch of NASA's Juno mission, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is rolled to the pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.

Atlas 5 Carrying Juno Spacecraft Against a Blue Sky

In preparation for launch of NASA's Juno mission, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is rolled to the pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral.

Juno Spacecraft Inside the Vertical Integration Facility

Inside the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41, the Juno spacecraft, enclosed in an Atlas payload fairing, is in position on top of its Atlas launch vehicle. The spacecraft was prepared for launch in the Astrotech Space Operations' payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. The fairing will protect the spacecraft from the impact of aerodynamic pressure and heating during ascent and will be jettisoned once the spacecraft is outside the Earth's atmosphere. Juno is scheduled to launch Aug. 5 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Juno Spacecraft Folded Up

The Juno spacecraft, folded up and awaiting encapsulation in the rocket fairing. The 13-foot-long magnetometer boom, wrapped in bright thermal blankets, is in the foreground atop a stack of folded solar arrays. One of the twin magnetometers is mounted in the middle of the boom, and the other is mounted at the outermost end. Next to each magnetometer sensor is a pair of rectangular hoods, or light baffles, peeking out from under the thermal blankets; these define the fields of view for the two star cameras, which determine the orientation of each magnetometer sensor with great accuracy.

Stowing Juno's Solar Array

Technicians at Astrotech's payload processing facility in Titusville, Fla. stow solar array #2 against the body of NASA's Juno spacecraft.

The Juno Spacecraft Clean Room

Juno spacecraft is being prepped for Jupiter at Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Bunny-suited Jack Farmerie, Lockheed Martin's lead spacecraft technician on the Juno project (left) and SPACE.com reporter Leonard David.

Technician Inspects Juno's Vault

Technician inspects Juno's vault – a titanium box that will enclose key spacecraft components, shielding them from Jupiter's intense radiation fields.

NASA Begins Building New Spacecraft to Visit Jupiter

In this picture, workers are readying the propulsion module for NASA's Juno spacecraft bound for Jupiter. Assembly began April 1, 2010, in Denver, Colo. Launch is set for August 2011.

Juno Deploying Solar Arrays

This still image from a Juno mission animation shows how the spinning spacecraft might look during deployment of its giant solar arrays. Solar array deployment takes place just a few minutes after Juno separates from its launch vehicle upper stage booster.

Juno in Front of Jupiter

The Juno spacecraft passes in front of Jupiter in this artist's depiction.