Washington - The test launch of the next generation space rocket, Ares I-X, was again at the mercy of questionable weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on Wednesday. The launch had been scrubbed a day earlier due to clouds, and on Wednesday NASA again continued to frequently push back planned launch attempts while it waited for conditions to clear.
Deputy Mission Manager Jon Cowart said ground crews had had to check out the rocket to be sure it was in good shape after several lightning strikes near the launch pad overnight.
He said Ares was in good shape to fly and the only concern remained the weather with an attempt possible around 1430 GMT.
Ares I-X is the first of two new rockets planned by NASA for its Constellation programme with the eventual goal of returning humans to the moon.
Ares I would be used to carry astronauts to low-Earth orbit, including to the International Space Station, aboard the next- generation Orion crew capsule. A later, more powerful Ares V rocket is to be developed to carry astronauts to the moon and beyond.
