Alan Buis 818-653-8339 Steve Cole 202-657-2194 George Diller 805-605-3051 RELEASE: 2009-026 Feb. 24, 2009
NASA's Launch of Carbon-Seeking Satellite is Unsuccessful PASADENA -- NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite failed to reach orbit after its 1:55 a.m. PST liftoff Tuesday from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. Preliminary indications are that the fairing on the Taurus XL launch vehicle failed to separate. The fairing is a clamshell structure that encapsulates the satellite as it travels through the atmosphere. A Mishap Investigation Board will be immediately convened to determine the cause of the launch failure. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov
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