The probe will test whether space-time can be distorted by Earth's rotation
Published:
20 April 2004 y., Tuesday
A satellite that will put Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity to the test has had its launch delayed until Tuesday.
The US space agency's $700m (£387m) probe was due to launch on a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Base in California at 1701 GMT.
The probe will now wait until 1657 GMT on Tuesday for another launch attempt. Ground controllers could not verify the rocket had all its correct flight software loaded, and halted the launch.
Gravity Probe B will test Einstein's ideas about space and time and how the Earth distorts them.
It will carry four near-perfect spheres in gyroscopes to help verify two key elements of Einstein's theory. The probe will align itself with its "guide star" IM Pegasi, so that the spin axes of the spheres point to this star.
Over the course of the year their spin axes will be monitored for tiny changes that could be caused by the effects Einstein described.
Šaltinis:
BBC News
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
A powerful version of ecstasy produced in Poland is thought to have been behind the deaths of three people here and at least 20 elsewhere in Europe, police said Wednesday.
more »
Bill Gates gave almost $1.5 billion last year to fight global health threats, including AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.
more »
Many anguished Brazilian women want to reverse procedure
more »
Although US physicians are enthusiastic users of the Web, most are reluctant to practice medicine online.
more »
Government leaflet urges kids to reduce exposure
more »
‘Job well done,’ Alpha’s commander tells Endeavour’s crew
more »
Researchers Press to Understand Mysterious Phenomenon
more »
Score one for exasperated women: New research suggests men really do listen with just half their brains.
more »
The nuclear power plant in Temelin, southern Bohemia, which has been strongly criticized by neighboring Austria and activists from some other countries as "atomic scrap" is much safer than believed originally.
more »
The continent is swept by a case of mad-cow dread
more »