spacetoday.net: Opportunity rover ready for Saturday night launch

Posted: Fri, Jun 27, 2003, 7:08 PM ET (2308 GMT)
Mars Exploration Rover (NASA/JPL)

Opportunity, the second of twin Mars rovers, is ready for launch on Saturday night, with weather the leading concern. Opportunity is scheduled for launch on a Delta 2 Heavy booster at 11:56:16 pm EDT Saturday (0356:16 GMT); a second one-second launch window is available Sunday at 12:37:59 am EDT (0437:59 GMT). There are no technical problems with the spacecraft or launch vehicle, and an insulation problem with the first stage of the Delta 2 that pushed back the launch a few days has been corrected. Cloudy weather is the leading issue that could force a launch delay, with a 40 percent chance of unacceptable weather Saturday night; similar weather is forecast for Sunday and Monday night. Opportunity is the twin of Spirit, a Mars Exploration Rover launched earlier this month. Launch windows for Opportunity exist through mid-July.