No Glory for scientists as Taurus rocket fails
MAR 04, 2011
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.025107
Guardian : A $424 million Earth observation satellite launched by NASA on Friday morning failed midflight because the nose cone of the rocket carrying it did not detach properly. The rocket was transporting the Glory observation satellite, which was designed to help scientists understand how solar radiation and atmospheric aerosols affect Earth’s climate. The loss of the satellite is the second failure in a row for the Taurus XL rocket; two years ago another climate research satellite was lost. The rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 2:09am local time (10:09am GMT) but was declared a failure by NASA’s launch director, Omar Baez, five minutes later.
© 2011 American Institute of Physics
