Space History Photo: Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Preparations

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The SOHO is prepared for encapsulation in its payload fairing. (Image credit: NASA.)

In this historical photo from the U.S. space agency, fully assembled, checked out and fueled for flight, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is ready for encapsulation in its protective payload fairing on Nov. 9, 1995. Note the protective thermal blankets encasing the spacecraft and the solar arrays stowed at the base.

This will wrap up preflight activities in the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility 2 (SAEF-2). Once encapsulated, SOHO will be transferred to Launch Complex 36B on Cape Canaveral Air Station, where it will be mated to the Atlas IIAS expendable vehicle that will carry it into space on Nov. 23.

NASA
NASA
U.S. Space Agency

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes,  satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. Its astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, visit: nasa.gov.