Image credit: NASA/JPL
NASA has decided to push back the launch of its second rover, Opportunity, to no earlier than Sunday, July 6 at 0251 GMT (10:51 pm EDT Saturday). The delays give engineers time to repair insulation which is failing to adhere properly to the first stage of the Delta II rocket. The launch was delayed over the weekend because of poor weather. If all goes well, Opportunity will follow NASA’s previous rover, Spirit, already en route to Mars to search for evidence of life on the Red Planet.
The launch of the MER-B ?Opportunity? Mars Exploration Rover aboard the Boeing Delta II Heavy Iaunch vehicle has been postponed to no earlier than Saturday, July 5.
A decision was made today to take additional time to perform tests on the process used to bond the cork insulation to the surface of the Delta II launch vehicle. These tests should be complete late on Wednesday.
The launch times on Saturday evening are: 10:51:25 p.m. and 11:34:05 p.m. EDT.
Original Source: NASA News Release