Posted: Sun, Jul 6, 2003, 9:25 AM ET (1325 GMT)
A faulty battery will delay the launch the NASA Mars rover Opportunity on additional day, to Monday, NASA announced late Saturday. The Delta 2 carrying Opportunity is now scheduled to lift off Monday at 10:35:23 or 11:18:15 pm EDT (0235:23 or 0318:15 GMT Tuesday). The launch, postponed several times because of cork insulation issues with the booster's first stage. was postponed this time to replace a battery in the Delta's flight termination system. NASA and Boeing did conduct a test of the booster Saturday, filling the first stage with liquid oxygen to see if this caused some of the cork to peel away from the booster. "Selective debonding" of small portions of cork were noted, and will be fixed using a different adhesive, NASA noted in a Saturday night statement. Launch opportunities for Opportunity, the second of two Mars Exploration Rovers, exist through July 15.

Related Links:

•  AP article
•  AFP article
•  CNN article
•  NASA/KSC press release
•  Spaceflight Now launch status center