Aquarius launch postponed a day
Posted: Thu, Jun 9, 2011, 7:52 AM ET (1152 GMT)
The launch of a new Earth sciences satellite has been delayed a day to correct a technical glitch with its rocket. The Delta 2 rocket was to launch Thursday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and place the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite into orbit. Late Wednesday, though, United Launch Alliance postponed the launch 24 hours after finding an "inconsistency" in the flight profile used by the rocket's computer system to compensate for winds. The delay will give engineers time to determine why the profile wasn't properly loaded and confirm that there are no other issues with the flight control system. The satellite, a joint project of NASA and the Argentine space agency CONAE, will study ocean salinity and its link to global climate.
The launch of a new Earth sciences satellite has been delayed a day to correct a technical glitch with its rocket. The Delta 2 rocket was to launch Thursday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and place the Aquarius/SAC-D satellite into orbit. Late Wednesday, though, United Launch Alliance postponed the launch 24 hours after finding an "inconsistency" in the flight profile used by the rocket's computer system to compensate for winds. The delay will give engineers time to determine why the profile wasn't properly loaded and confirm that there are no other issues with the flight control system. The satellite, a joint project of NASA and the Argentine space agency CONAE, will study ocean salinity and its link to global climate.
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