spacetoday.net: Rover launch delayed to Sunday

Posted: Thu, Jul 3, 2003, 2:38 PM ET (1838 GMT)
Mars Exploration Rover (NASA/JPL)

NASA announced Thursday it had delayed the launch of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity an additional day, to Sunday, to perform additional tests on the rover's launch vehicle. Launch of Opportunity on a Delta 2 heavy is now scheduled for Sunday at 10:43:16 or 11:26:02 pm EDT (0243:16 or 0326:02 GMT Monday). The delay will give technicians time to run an additional test Saturday, loading liquid oxygen into the booster's first stage to see if cork insulation will remain bonded to the vehicle after being exposed to the cold propellant. Problems with that band of insulation on the vehicle have delayed the launch of the rover for over a week now as engineers try to figure out a way to make sure the insulation adheres to the stage. Launch windows for Opportunity, the second of two Mars rovers, exist through July 15.