MSL Launch Delayed to November 26

Officials at the American space agency announced recently that the launch of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity has been delayed by 24 hours, from November 25 to November 26.

The reason for the hold-up is a suspect battery in the flight termination system, on the Atlas V delivery system that will take the MSL aeroshell to orbit, and inject it on the proper course for the Red Planet.

According to the same announcement, the rover will take off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), starting at 10:02 am EST (1502 GMT). The launch window remains opened for about 103 minutes.

If NASA cannot launch its $2.5 billion mission on November 26, it has until December 15 to do so. After that time, this year's launch window to Mars closes, and the spacecraft will have to wait nearly two years before it can try again, Space reports.