NASA launches STEREO spacecraft

October 26, 2006 NASA's STEREO spacecraft has been successfully launched atop a Delta II (7925) rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft will be placed into a Heliocentric orbit (around the Sun), and will monitor solar phenomena, such as Solar Flares. It was the 121st launch of a Delta II rocket, and the 119th success.

The Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) consists of two nearly identical solar observatories. These will enable stereoscopic observation of solar flares in 3-D and will provide warnings of emissions from the Sun that might affect satellites in Earth orbit. Launch occurred at 00:52 GMT.