spacetoday.net: Swift launch delayed again

Posted: Thu, Nov 18, 2004, 8:17 AM ET (1317 GMT)
Swift spacecraft illustration (NASA)

NASA has delayed the launch of the Swift astronomy satellite an additional day while engineers resolve a problem with the Delta 2 launch vehicle, the agency announced late Wednesday. Swift was scheduled to launch on midday Wednesday, but the launch was initially delayed 24 hours after technicians found a problem with the rocket's range command receiver-decoder equipment. Late Wednesday NASA delayed the launch another day, to Friday, to give workers more time to resolve the problem. NASA officials told Florida Today they were skeptical, though, that the problem could be resolved in time to permit a Friday launch. Swift's mission is to detect gamma-ray bursts, reorientating itself to study those bursts with its onboard telescopes within seconds of their detection.