Posted: Wed, Oct 15, 2003, 8:37 PM ET (0037 GMT)
The launch of the final Titan 2 was delayed a day Wednesday when launch preparations fell behind schedule. The Titan 2 was scheduled to liftoff Wednesday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, but Air Force mission controllers decided a couple hours before the launch to delay the flight when an air conditioning duct used to cool the DMSP F16 satellite repeatedly detached from the fairing, delaying other launch preparations. The launch has been rescheduled for Thursday at 12:16 pm EDT (1616 GMT), with a 90 percent chance of acceptable weather. The launch of this particular polar-orbiting weather satellite has been delayed since early 2001 because of multiple problems with the satellite and launch vehicle. The launch will also be the last for the Titan 2; 14 of the former ICBMs were converted into launch vehicles 15 years ago. The Titan 2 was also used in the 1960s in NASA's Gemini program.

Related Links:

•  Spaceflight Now launch status center
•  Spaceflight Now pre-launch article
•  Denver Post pre-launch article