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26/02/2004
Weather delays ESA comet chaser launch
The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed this morning that the launch of Flight 158 with the Rosetta spacecraft has been put on hold for 24 hours due to adverse weather at its launch facility in Kourou, French Guiana.
The Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, Jean-Yves Le Gall, announced the hold with only 20 minutes remaining on the countdown clock.
The launch delay was blamed on unfavourable wind conditions at altitude, which are part of the safety considerations of each Ariane launch. The ESA said that both the Ariane 5G launch rocket and its Rosetta comet-intercept payload have been put in "safe mode".
The Rosetta launch has been rescheduled for 08:36 CET on Friday February 27.
Originally timed to begin almost a year ago, Rosetta's journey had to be postponed and the delay meant that the original mission's target, Comet Wirtanen, could no longer be reached.
Instead, a new target has been selected, Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which Rosetta will encounter in 2014 after a "billiard ball" journey through the Solar System lasting 10 years.
This is the first mission scheduled to orbit and land on a comet.
(SP)
The Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace, Jean-Yves Le Gall, announced the hold with only 20 minutes remaining on the countdown clock.
The launch delay was blamed on unfavourable wind conditions at altitude, which are part of the safety considerations of each Ariane launch. The ESA said that both the Ariane 5G launch rocket and its Rosetta comet-intercept payload have been put in "safe mode".
The Rosetta launch has been rescheduled for 08:36 CET on Friday February 27.
Originally timed to begin almost a year ago, Rosetta's journey had to be postponed and the delay meant that the original mission's target, Comet Wirtanen, could no longer be reached.
Instead, a new target has been selected, Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which Rosetta will encounter in 2014 after a "billiard ball" journey through the Solar System lasting 10 years.
This is the first mission scheduled to orbit and land on a comet.
(SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:It will be cloudy with a spell of heavy rain pushing south through late evening and the early hours, soon followed by some clear spells. Minimum temperature 6 °C.
