![Click to enlarge](img/th_2513.jpg) | Three of the riggers wait to pickup. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2514.jpg) | Preparing BLAST for pickup. |
![Click toplay](img/th_2516.jpg) | Preparing BLAST for pickup. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2517.jpg) | Chris goes through his pre-pickup checklist. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2518.jpg) | Preparing BLAST for pickup. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2519.jpg) | The launch vehicle in position to pick up BLAST. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2520.jpg) | The view from outside. Most of us are just milling about, waiting for the pickup. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2522.jpg) | Waiting for pickup. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2523.jpg) | Barth waits with BLAST. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2524.jpg) | Marie attaches one of the solar panel struts. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2525.jpg) | BLAST in the door. |
![Click toplay](img/th_2526.jpg) | Pickup. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2527.jpg) | Preparing to ram the gondola with the launch vehicle? |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2528.jpg) | Jim, Chris and Nathan test their receivers. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2529.jpg) | The SIP solar array sitting on crush pads ready for installation. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2530.jpg) | BLAST in the doorway. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2531.jpg) | A rain cloud looms on the horizon. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2532.jpg) | Up close and personal with Hercules. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2533.jpg) | Paul filming. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2534.jpg) | The launch vehicle in high speed configuration. (Actually, they just lowered the boom in preparation for laying the flight train on it.) |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2535.jpg) | Hercules and BLAST. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2536.jpg) | A view inside the Basilica where the parachute (foreground) and balloon crate (further back, on the trailer) await. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2537.jpg) | Pushing the gondola back inside, out of the rain. |
![Click to enlarge](img/th_2538.jpg) | Back inside. |