NASA earth study satellite fails to reach orbit

AFP ^ | 3/4/2011 | AFP

[TSgt]

WASHINGTON — The earth observation satellite Glory failed to reach orbit on Friday after its protective cover did not detach following its launch, a NASA official said.

"The fairing did not separate and the vehicle does not have sufficient velocity with the fairing on to achieve orbit," an official said on NASA TV, adding that there was "no indication as to why it did not separate."

He said there would be a press briefing at around 7:30 am (1230 GMT).

[TSgt]

It was a waste before it left the ground.

The satellite Glory launches this week as part of a NASA mission to enhance the agency's modeling of the Earth's climate and reduce uncertainties about the causes and consequences of climate change. Among other things, the craft will look at how aerosols affect climate. It will also help maintain a record of total solar irradiance.

[cripplecreek]

I blame global warming.

[azhenfud]

That rocket’s got about as many decals as a NASCAR racer.

[Dacula]

How are we going to study global warming? Better spend a few more billions of my tax money and rebuild this hoax studying satellite.

[steelyourfaith]

From the link: "... the satellite -- which was to measure aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere to help clarify their impact on climate ..."

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[Diogenesis]

NASA’s future is in Arab and Moslem countries, now.

Forget space, NASA. Think: Moslem Outreach.

[edpc]

The earth observation satellite Glory failed to reach orbit on Friday....

Well, now it'll get a real close look at its subject.

[24-7Freeper]

It didn’t reach orbit, but left a big carbon footprint & plenty of toxic waste on it’s way back down. /sarc ;)

[762X51]

Maybe the Chinese could launch our next one for us.

[Huck]

I wonder if they pay for those decals? I wonder if they ever considered sponsors? Imagine a giant WonderBread rocket launching into space! A Tide satellite. Hell, a Viagra rocket would be appropos, and hilarious.

[tacticalogic]

Hate losing the satellite, but realistically it wasn’t going to be used for anything more than propaganda.

[LibLieSlayer]

By killing it... it cannot destroy the myth of globull warming.

LLS

[Zeppo]

Wow, wasn’t there another US Earth observation satellite that failed to make orbit about a year or two ago?

So much effort by so many people, only to end up as junk on the bottom of the ocean...

[texson66]

[kosciusko51]

I worked on a payload for a rocket that was to have a “Last Action Hero” advert on it. However, the launch was delayed, and the movie did so poorly, the ad was removed. About 90 seconds into the launch, they had to hit the “abort” button.

[Huck]

Nice. Needs to be bigger ( I know, I know, that’s what she said.) Maybe add Trojan. And, hmm, maybe Absolut? Or how about an ad for that tv show Charlie Sheen is on?

[NewHampshireDuo]

This sounds like the satellite that Gore wanted many years ago. That project never got off the ground, fortunately.

[Huebolt]

NASA attempts to appease the one world ruling class with a pointless satellite.

The fact it didn't orbit won't change the data they publish about climate change one bit.

No room for engineers in third-world Amerika.

[TSgt]

Yep!

A similar mishap took place in February 2009, when a satellite designed to monitor global carbon dioxide emissions plummeted into the ocean near Antarctica after failing to reach orbit, in a setback for climate science. There too, a fatal mission error occurred minutes after liftoff when a clamshell-like nose cone known as a fairing, which protects the satellite during its ascent, failed to separate properly.

[FrankR]

I don't know why the "Center For Muslim Outreach", formerly known as NASA, is having just bad luck...