Rosetta launch delayed

Paris, 26 Feb 2004

Today's launch of Flight 158 with the Rosetta spacecraft has been put on hold for 24 hours due to weather at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana.

The weather hold was due to wind conditions at altitude, which are part of the safety considerations of each Ariane launch.

Both the Ariane 5G launch vehicle and its Rosetta comet-intercept payload have been put in a safe mode.

Arianespace Chief Executive Officer Jean-Yves Le Gall announced the hold approximately 20 minutes before today's early morning scheduled lift-off time.

The Rosetta launch time is now planned at 0436 local time (0836 CET) on Friday February.

European Space Agency
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/index.ht ml
Item source: http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEMTM62P GQD_index_0.html