PIA12478: WISE Snug in its Nose Cone
NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer is shown inside one-half of the nose cone, or fairing, that will protect it during launch.
 Mission:  Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) 
 Product Size:  830 x 1244 pixels (w x h) 
 Produced By:  JPL 
 Full-Res TIFF:  PIA12478.tif (3.101 MB)
 Full-Res JPEG:  PIA12478.jpg (167.2 kB)  

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) is shown inside one-half of the nose cone, or fairing, that will protect it during launch. The spacecraft is clamped to the top of the rocket above the white conical fitting. The fairing will split open like a clamshell about five minutes after launch.

Image Credit:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/United Launch Alliance

Image Addition Date:
2009-12-01