NASA delays launch of Earth-orbiting satellite

(AP) -- The launch of an Earth-observation satellite has been delayed to no earlier than Friday to give engineers time to troubleshoot a problem.

Liftoff of the Taurus XL rocket carrying NASA's Glory satellite was scrubbed at the last minute early Wednesday after a technical glitch on the rocket.

NASA says the postponement gives engineers time to fix the problem and ensures that they get enough rest before the next launch countdown.

Glory is slated to blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base along California's Central Coast on a three-year mission to analyze how airborne particles affect Earth's climate. Besides monitoring particles in the atmosphere, Glory will also track solar activity to determine the sun's effect on climate.

The $434 million mission is managed by the NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.