NASA on Thursday postponed the launch of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for at least 24 hours due to a problem with sensors and software monitoring the fueling of the rocket used for liftoff.

NASA rescheduled the launch of the orbiter for Friday between 7:43 and 9:43 a.m. EDT (1143 and 1343 GMT).

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is expected to spend four years circling Mars, collecting data about the history and distribution of Martian water. Scientists said that learning more about what has happened to the water will focus searches for possible past or present Martian life.

According to NASA, observations by the orbiter will also support future Mars missions by examining potential landing sites and providing a communications relay between the Martian surface and Earth.

The orbiter can transmit about 10 times as much data per minute as any previous Mars spacecraft. This will serve both to convey detailed observations of the Martian surface, subsurface and atmosphere by the instruments on the orbiter and enable data relay from other landers on the Martian surface to Earth.

NASA also plans to launch the Phoenix Mars Scout in 2007 to land on the far northern Martian surface. The space agency is also developing an advanced rover, the Mars Science Laboratory, for launch in 2009.

Source: Xinhua