Status of VERITAS

VERITAS is an array of $12\rm{-m}$ diameter imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes dedicated to gamma-ray astronomy in the $50\rm{GeV}\ -\ 50\ \rm{TeV}$ energy band. The first telescope has been completed at the Whipple Observatory base camp site (elevation: $1280\ \rm{m}$) and is currently conducting observations. In this talk, preliminary results characterizing the data quality from Telescope 1 and an update on the construction of the full four-telescope array will be presented. The performance of Telescope 1 has been characterized using data from a detection of the Crab Nebula. The reflector, the camera, and the $500\rm{-MHz}$ FADC readout system have met all expectations. Telescope 1 will be operated at the Whipple base camp site for both engineering and science observations over the next year during construction of the remainder of the VERITAS array at the Kitt Peak site. That construction is on schedule and we plan to begin observations with the full four-telescope array in October 2006.