Gravity Probe B Launch Postponed 24 Hours
Posted on: Monday, 19 April 2004, 06:00 CDT
NASA -- The launch of Gravity Probe B has been postponed due to upper level wind constraints. Upper level winds fall into the category of flight dynamics, as opposed to weather constraints.
The launch has been postponed until Tuesday, April 20. Launch time is set for 12:57:24 p.m. EDT. Live coverage will resume Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. EDT. The Virtual Launch Control Center will be activated three hours prior to launch.
Gravity Probe B is among the most thoroughly researched programs ever undertaken by NASA. This is the story of a scientific quest in which physicists and engineers have collaborated closely over many years.
Inspired by their quest, they have invented a whole range of new technologies -- technologies that are already benefiting other branches of science and engineering.
The experiment will check, very precisely, tiny changes in the axis of spin of four gyroscopes contained in an Earth satellite orbiting at 400-mile altitude directly over the poles.
The gyroscopes are so free from disturbance that they will provide an almost perfect space-time reference system. They will measure how space and time are warped by the presence of the Earth, and, how the Earth's rotation drags space-time around with it.
These effects, though small for the Earth, have far-reaching implications for the nature of matter and the structure of the Universe.
-----
On the Net:
More science, space, and technology from RedNova
Related Articles
- Launch of NASA's Space Shuttle Endeavour Postponed Until Sunday
- ATK's 100th Flight Set of Solid Rocket Motors Launches NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery
- ATK Supports 35th Flight of NASA's Space Shuttle Discovery
- NASA Space Probe Swings by Jupiter
- NASA to Crash Space Probe Into Moon
- Winds delay launch of NASA's Pluto probe
- Europe launches Venus space probe
- Writethru: China launches satellite in joint space probe programwith Europe
- China launches satellite in joint space probe program with Europe
- Media Briefing for Upcoming Launch of NASA'S Space Infrared Telescope Facility
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds