NASA Launches Mars Rover

After nearly two weeks of delays, a rocket holding NASA’s second Mars rover was launched into the night sky Monday on a mission to study whether the Red Planet ever had enough water to sustain life.

The rover, Opportunity, lifted off in a cloud of steam aboard a Delta II Heavy rocket at 11:18 p.m. EDT. NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe flew to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to watch the launch.

The launch had been postponed more than a half-dozen times because of bad weather, a failed battery cell and a nagging problem with cork insulation failing to stick to the aluminum rocket.

Technical problems continued to plague the launch Monday night. Launch officials halted the countdown with seven seconds left during the first launch opportunity at 10:35 p.m. EDT because of a problem with a valve on the rocket.