
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory and its Taurus booster lift off Feb. 24 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 4:55 a.m. EST. A contingency was declared a few minutes later and the satellite failed to reach orbit after liftoff. 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 is being set up to determine the cause of the launch failure. Photo courtesy of Orbital Sciences
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NASA ID
KSC-2009-1827
Date Created
February 24, 2009
Center
KSC
Media Type
image
Location
Vandenberg AFB, CA
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