spacetoday.net: Weather delays Atlas launch to next week

Posted: Sat, Aug 25, 2012, 11:04 AM ET (1504 GMT)
Atlas 5 before RBSP launch (ULA)

Poor weather prevented Saturday's planned launch of a pair of NASA space science satellites, and the threat of a tropical storm will keep the rocket grounded until late next week. NASA had hoped to launch the twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) at 4:07 am EDT (0807 GMT) Saturday, one day after a technical problem scrubbed the first launch attempt. However, stormy weather prevented the launch from taking place during a 20-minute window. NASA announced later Saturday morning that the launch would be postponed to no earlier than Thursday, August 30, because of concerns about Tropical Storm Issac, which is approaching southern Florida and likely to preclude launch attempts for several days. The Atlas 5 rocket will be rolled back to its assembly building until the storm passes. The two RBSP spacecraft will study the Van Allen radiation belts that surround the Earth.