The semiconductor tracker (SCT) forms part of the ATLAS inner detector and comprises 4088 silicon microstrip detector modules. It will measure charged particle tracks produced in the 14 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC by providing four space point measurements within a pseudorapidity range of |eta|<2.5. The design and assembly of the 2000 recently completed modules for the end-caps of the SCT are reported here. The procedures used for their quality assurance are described and the main results presented, showing a low loss rate during assembly of only 7%, half the allowed contingency. The 2004 combined test beam is then used to illustrate how the DAQ and offline software are being prepared for ATLAS operation