Mars probe launches at third try

Posted on: Aug. 13th, 2005 || Source: news.bbc.co.uk | E-mail Article | Print Article

Nasa's Mars probe has launched after two days of delays, on a mission to map and find water on the Red Planet.

The $720m (£397m) Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) blasted off at 1243 BST (1143 GMT) on Friday after being delayed for two days running.

A launch attempt on Thursday was scrubbed due to a sensor malfunction.

MRO will arrive at Mars in March on a four-year mission; its cameras will send back the clearest images yet of the planet from space.

"What a difference a day makes," said Nasa launch manager Chuck Dovale. "It couldn't have been any smoother."

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