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Having already played havoc with the recent launch schedules of numerous space shuttle missions, inclement weather in and around the Florida region is expected to again rear its ugly head as NASA’s Ares 1-X experimental rocket sits ready for blast off later today.
NASA facing yet more pesky weather delays. Image: http2007/Flickr.
Despite being scheduled to launch at 08:00 EDT (12:00 GMT) on Tuesday, weather forecasts for the area surrounding the Kennedy Space Center in Florida suggest there is a 60 percent chance that low clouds and rain could force NASA to impose a delay on the hugely important test flight.
Seen as an opportunity to evaluate and assess its new technology, NASA intends to use the brief two-minute flight to gather a wealth of information regarding the Ares 1-X as it performs its first-stage separation.
The unmanned rocket will be crammed with around 700 data sensors and will also be equipped with a dummy payload, which will include a mock-up of the Orion capsule.
Existing as part of NASA’s replacement plan for the ageing shuttle fleet, which is due for decommission in 2010, the Ares 1-X rocket will be used in conjunction with the new Orion space capsule and could help the U.S. space administration extend Mankind’s exploration of the stars.
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