The CONTOUR spacecraft continues to progress toward its July 1, 2:56 am EDT launch. Early on the morning of July 19, the spacecraft, mated to an upper stage booster, was transported from the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation Facility (SAEF-2) to launch pad 17-A. The move began at 2:15 a.m. and the arrival at the pad occurred at 4:30 a.m. CONTOUR was hoisted atop the Delta II at 7:50 a.m.

In the SAEF-2, a worker monitors the fueling of the CONTOUR spacecraft.

The Flight Program Verification, a simulated flight test of the launch vehicle and the integrated spacecraft, is scheduled for June 21. This combined composite electrical test and flight sequence test will be the final major test prior to launch. The vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems are to be actuated during the simulated plus count.

Here's a summary of other launch vehicle preparations conducted at Space Launch Complex 17 in the past few weeks:

		Erection of the Delta first stage booster was performed on May 28.
		Solid rocket boosters were attached around the base of the first stage on May 29.
		The launch vehicle second stage was hoisted atop the first stage on May 31.
		The fairing was hoisted into the mobile service tower's clean room on June 5.
		Loading with hydrazine fuel was completed on June 7.
		A "wet" spin balance test with fuel aboard was completed on June 11.
		A simulated flight test of the launch vehicle was conducted on June 13.
		A crew certification exercise for the Boeing console operators who load the liquid oxygen aboard the Delta first stage was performed on Friday, June 14.
		The mating of the spacecraft to the upper stage booster, or Delta third stage, was performed at SAEF-2 on Monday, June 17.

Visit the CONTOUR Web Site
CONTOUR's official prelaunch press briefing at NASA Headquarters took place on June 12. You can watch a replay of it as well as download the transcript and supporting material in the new "CONTOUR Live" section under "Archived Events." You'll also find live feeds from KSC's SAEF Processing Facility.

The "Downloadables" section of the News and Media area of the web site has a press kit released in support of the press conference, along with a new CONTOUR Fact Sheet. You can also download and build your own model of CONTOUR.

Finally, CONTOUR's new image gallery is now online. The comprehensive archive has over 100 CONTOUR-relate((d.images)) including artist concepts, spacecraft testing, launch vehicle preparation and more. With launch just around the corner, you can expect to see more great pictures being added frequently.

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