Assembling the Impactor Spacecraft
The Impactor Spacecraft being mated with the mounting ring (white ring at bottom of picture with 3 titanium bipods) that will be used to attach the two spacecraft to the Payload Adapter Fixture (PAF) on the launch vehicle. The thin copper sheets are debris shields to minimize the effects of cometary dust particles hitting the spacecraft. The debris shields extend outward from the copper cratering mass, which protrudes slightly through the center of the bottom shield. The "main deck" of the spacecraft is the large circular aluminum-honeycomb structure just above the technician's right hand. All of the spacecraft control systems are mounted above the main deck. The bipods attach the impactor spacecraft to the flyby spacecraft with the top portion of the impactor recessed inside the flyby.
CREDIT: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
