spacetoday.net: Winds postpone Delta 2 launch a day

Winds postpone Delta 2 launch a day

Posted: Thu, Jan 29, 2015, 9:37 PM ET (0237 GMT)
Delta 2 before SMAP launch (NASA)

High upper level winds forced launch controllers to postpone the launch of a NASA Earth sciences satellite by a day. The Delta 2 7320 was scheduled to launch at 9:20 am EST (1420 GMT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. While there were no issues with the launch vehicle or spacecraft, and forecasts called for a 90-percent chance of acceptable weather, gusty upper level winds forced mission managers to scrub the launch. The launch is now scheduled for the same time Friday. The rocket is carrying the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) spacecraft, designed to provide global measurements of soil measure for weather, climate, and related Earth science applications.