VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, CALIF. (AP) - NASA says the launch of an Earth-observing satellite from California has been postponed because of a problem with ground equipment.
A Taurus XL rocket carrying the Glory satellite was scheduled to lift off early Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base. But the launch was called off when a control console in a launch support van gave a false indication about the rocket’s status. NASA says the console indicated a command had been sent when there had been no such command.
Engineers have not resolved the error, and further launch attempts this week have been called off.
NASA is weighing launch possibilities in March. The $434 million mission will study how airborne particles known as aerosols affect climate. The mission is managed by Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.
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