Rover launch delayed to Sunday
Posted: Thu, Jul 3, 2003, 2:38 PM ET (1838 GMT)
NASA announced Thursday it had delayed the launch of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity an additional day, to Sunday, to perform additional tests on the rover's launch vehicle. Launch of Opportunity on a Delta 2 heavy is now scheduled for Sunday at 10:43:16 or 11:26:02 pm EDT (0243:16 or 0326:02 GMT Monday). The delay will give technicians time to run an additional test Saturday, loading liquid oxygen into the booster's first stage to see if cork insulation will remain bonded to the vehicle after being exposed to the cold propellant. Problems with that band of insulation on the vehicle have delayed the launch of the rover for over a week now as engineers try to figure out a way to make sure the insulation adheres to the stage. Launch windows for Opportunity, the second of two Mars rovers, exist through July 15.
NASA announced Thursday it had delayed the launch of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity an additional day, to Sunday, to perform additional tests on the rover's launch vehicle. Launch of Opportunity on a Delta 2 heavy is now scheduled for Sunday at 10:43:16 or 11:26:02 pm EDT (0243:16 or 0326:02 GMT Monday). The delay will give technicians time to run an additional test Saturday, loading liquid oxygen into the booster's first stage to see if cork insulation will remain bonded to the vehicle after being exposed to the cold propellant. Problems with that band of insulation on the vehicle have delayed the launch of the rover for over a week now as engineers try to figure out a way to make sure the insulation adheres to the stage. Launch windows for Opportunity, the second of two Mars rovers, exist through July 15.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
New Virgin Galactic spaceplane arrives at Spaceport America
Posted: Sat, Oct 31 10:38 AM ET (1438 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Friday, November 6
Irish companies win record €25.3m in European Space Agency (ESA) contracts in 2025
RTE — 5:19 am ET (1019 GMT) 'Starlink was last to apply, meet security requirements': Govt defends satcom licensing process
The Times of India — 5:17 am ET (1017 GMT) AST SpaceMobile Awarded U.S. Space Force Contract Through STR to Advance Space-Based Sensing Capabilities
Business Wire — 5:16 am ET (1016 GMT) Lawmakers demand answers from Air Force on cuts to China Aerospace Studies Institute
FederalNewsRadio.com — 5:15 am ET (1015 GMT) Blue Origin delays launches until 2027
Financial Times — 5:13 am ET (1013 GMT) |
