NPP On Schedule for October 28 Launch

Weather officials at the Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), in California, say that there are practically no chances that the launch of NASA's newest climate satellite will be prevented by bad weather tomorrow, October 28.

The American space agency wants to launch the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory Project (NPP) spacecraft at 5:48 am EDT (0948 GMT).

The satellite will be ferried to orbit aboard a Delta II delivery system. Once in orbit, the spacecraft will supply data that will help climate researchers forecast short-term weather more efficiently, and monitor long-term climate changes with an increased degree of accuracy.

“It's looking to be very favorable conditions for launch day,” VAFB 30th Operations Support Squadron launch weather officer Lisa Cochran said in a recent news briefing, Space reports.