NASA delays Mars rover launch again

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA delayed the launch of its second Mars rover until at least Wednesday after problems resurfaced with the cork insulation on the rover’s rocket.

The launch was reset for 11:17 p.m. Wednesday. Another opportunity exists for 11:59 p.m.

The band of cork, designed to insulate the rocket from excessive heat, wasn’t sticking to the skin of the rocket, causing gaps that could lead to damage during liftoff, said George Diller, a NASA spokesman at the Kennedy Space Center Sunday.

Workers planned to reinstall 10 percent of the 2-foot-wide band, Diller said.

The problem was found during overnight inspections after wind conditions forced the launch to be scrubbed twice late Saturday and early Sunday. The launch of the rover Opportunity had already been pushed back last week because the adhesive wasn’t bonding with the cork.

The cork was replaced, but the problem still reappeared Sunday.

Opportunity, and its sister rover, Spirit, launched earlier this month, will act as robotic geologists during their three months of exploration on the Martian surface.

The rovers, expected to arrive on Mars in January, are to send back images of sediment and mineral deposits that can help scientists determine whether there was ever enough water on the planet to sustain life.

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