NASA's Mars Orbiter Launch Delayed 24 Hours

Dolores Beasley
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1753)

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

MEDIA ADVISORY: 80-05

NASA'S MARS ORBITER LAUNCH DELAYED 24 HOURS

The launch of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has been
postponed. The new launch window is 7:43 to 9:43 a.m. EDT, Friday,
August 12.

The delay was called after engineers saw an anomalous reading in the
hydrogen propellant loading system on the Atlas V. There was
insufficient time in the launch window to fully investigate the
reading. The Atlas V vehicle is being de-tanked. The rocket will
remain on the launch pad, and the MRO spacecraft is secured.

Tomorrow's weather forecast calls for a chance for isolated coastal
showers. There is a 20 percent probability of not meeting the launch
weather criteria.

On launch day, August 12, the KSC News Center will open at 4:30 a.m.
EDT. Foreign national news media should meet at Gate 1 at Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station at 5 a.m. to be escorted to the KSC Press
Site. NASA TV live coverage of the launch begins at 5:15 a.m. EDT.

For information about the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on the Web,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mro

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/


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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info