TIMED Spacecraft Transported to Launch Site

In preparation for its transport to the launch pad, the TIMED spacecraft and its launch partner, the Jason-1 spacecraft, were placed inside a specially designed shipping container with instrumentation to record humidity, temperature, shock and pressure. A continuous nitrogen purge was maintained on the TIMED spacecraft to keep moisture and contaminants out - keeping the spacecraft's instruments extremely clean. The container was then loaded onto a custom flatbed truck equipped with special shocks to reduce vibration to the spacecraft during transport from the payload processing facility to the launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. At the site, launch team members placed the spacecraft onto the pad.