STEREO technicians at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), in Laurel, Md., prepare the twin STEREO (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) observatories for transport from APL to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., where they’ll undergo additional pre-launch tests.

To keep the spacecraft clean during shipment, they must be “bagged” or wrapped in protective coverings as seen on the spacecraft in the back of the photo. Placing a protective cover over a spacecraft protects it from particles, such as dust, that could contaminate an instrument or other portion of a spacecraft.

Credit: Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

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