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NASA satellite launch postponed for fifth time
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    • WASHINGTON, April 25 (AFP) Apr 25, 2006
     The US space agency NASA postponed for a fifth time the launch of two satellites designed to help unlock the secrets of Earth's cloud cover, due to high winds, officials said early Tuesday.

    The CloudSat and CALIPSO satellites were scheduled to be launched at 1002 GMT Tuesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. But just four minutes before blastoff NASA officials postponed the mission.

    The event was carried live on NASA's satellite television channel.

    "We have had to call a scrub for today because of upper level winds," a NASA official who identified himself as Delta Flight Control. "Our launch has been postponed for at least 24 hours."

    The launch is now scheduled for Wednesday at 1002 GMT.

    Problems have plagued attempts to deploy the satellites since late last week. Friday's launch was scrubbed due to a communications malfunction, while the takeoffs planned for Saturday, Sunday and Monday were postponed because of the refueling aircraft.

    The satellites are expected to help answer questions about how clouds spread and deliver precipitation around the globe as well as how they affect the Earth's atmosphere.




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