Tags: NASA, Orbital Sciences, Satellite Launch, Scientific Satellite
Publication: NBCNews.com
Publication Date: 06/25/2013

Engineers work with the IRIS spacecraft on the nose of the Pegasus XL rocket that will launch the solar observatory into Earth orbit. Image credit: VAFB/Rnady Beaudoin

NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellite, scheduled to launch on Wednesday from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, has been delayed due to a power outage.

As power returned to Vandenberg, a fire broke out, damaging an electrical switching box that feeds approximately five transformers at the base. The damaged part needs to be replaced before tracking systems can come back online.

Orbital Sciences’ Pegasus rocket will carry the satellite into orbit. Officials believe they will be able to restore power to the affected facilities in time to support a launch Thursday.

IRIS will study the space of the sun between the solar surface and its outer atmosphere, a region just 3,000 to 6,000 miles wide. Understanding this area and the inmense energy flowing through it is key for understanding and studying space weather.

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