NASA launches mission to find if there is life on Mars
Posted on: Wednesday, 9 July 2003, 06:00 CDT
After nearly two weeks of delays, a rocket holding NASA's second Mars rover was launched 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 yesterday. NASA administrator Mr Sean O'Keefe flew to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida to watch the launch. The launch was postponed more than six times because of bad weather, a failed battery cell and a nagging problem with insulation .
NASA had until July 15th to launch Opportunity before Earth and Mars became too far apart. The next chance would be in four years. Opportunity and its sister rover, Spirit, are scheduled to arrive at Mars in January and land on opposite sides of the planet.
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