NASA global warming satellite lands in ocean
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — A rocket carrying a NASA global warming satellite has landed in the ocean near Antarctica after a failed launch.
The Taurus XL rocket carrying the Orbiting Carbon Observatory blasted off early Tuesday morning from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. But launch managers say that several minutes later, the payload fairing, which shelters the satellite, apparently failed to separate from the launch vehicle.
Taurus program manager John Brunschwyler says the rocket splashed into the ocean. He's with the rocket's maker, Orbital Sciences Corp.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) — A NASA satellite designed to track carbon dioxide emissions failed to reach orbit early Tuesday in a mishap that could jeopardize its mission to better understand climate change.
The Taurus XL rocket carrying the Orbiting Carbon Observatory blasted off as planned at 1:55 a.m. PST from Vandenberg Air Force Base on California's Central Coast.
Several minutes into the flight, launch managers declared a "contingency plan" after the payload fairing failed to separate from the launch vehicle. The fairing protects the spacecraft as the launch vehicle flies through the atmosphere.
The carbon observatory was NASA's first satellite dedicated to monitoring carbon dioxide on a global scale. Measurements collected from the $280 million mission were expected to improve climate models and help researchers determine where the greenhouse gas originates and how much is being absorbed by forests and oceans.
Last month, Japan successfully launched the world's first satellite to monitor global warming emissions.