NASA postpones launch of Aura probe tasked with exploring Earth's atmosphere

WASHINGTON (AFP) Jul 12, 2004
NASA announced it has postponed until early Tuesday the launch of the Aura satellite, whose mission is to study Earth's weather and ozone layer.

Launch of the probe, originally scheduled for Sunday from Vandenburg Air Force Base in California, was halted due to technical problems with the rocket that will thrust the satellite into space, officials from the space agency explained Monday.

The launch had already been pushed back from mid-June because of earlier technical problems.

Scientists hope Aura will provide insight into Earth's atmosphere, climate change, and regional differences in air quality.

Britain, the Netherlands and Finland contributed 785 million dollars to build equipment for the US mission.

The nearly 3,000-kilo (6,500 pound) probe will orbit the Earth at 700 kilometers (450 miles).

SPACE.WIRE