Posted: Sat, Sep 22, 2001, 11:44 PM ET (0344 GMT)
A problem with a tracking radar scrubbed the launch of an Athena rocket Saturday evening. The Athena 1 was scheduled for launch at 9 pm EDT (0100 GMT Sunday) on the "Kodiak Star" mission from the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska, but the countdown was stopped at the T-20 minute mark after problems developed with a tracking radar in Cordova, Alaska. Launch officials decided to scrub the launch at around 10:30 pm EDT (0230 GMT) when it became clear the radar would not be fixed before the two-hour launch window closed. No new launch date has been set, but weather, which delayed a launch attempt Friday, is expected to worsen by Sunday. The Athena 1 carries four spacecraft: the Starshine 3 satellite for NASA and three small spacecraft sponsored by the Defense Department.

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