Scrub Delays Delta 4 Launch Until October

Posted on: Aug. 17th, 2005 || Source: space.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

Scrub Delays Delta 4 Launch Until October

CAPE CANAVERAL—A Boeing Delta 4 rocket launch was called off late in the countdown Tuesday evening during a second attempt to launch a weather satellite.

Boeing will not try to launch again today, and because the batteries in the rocket's self-destruct system have expired, the next attempt is expected to be after the risky "eclipse" period.

During this time, less sunlight would reach the satellite's solar arrays in orbit, providing less energy to charge the batteries during the satellite's initial deployment.

With an August launch no longer possible, the earliest possible attempt would be Oct. 8, NASA said.

Tuesday's attempt was scrubbed in the final five minutes when the team saw a battery voltage alarm on the rocket's second stage.

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