CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – An Atlas V rocket carrying a global positioning system satellite launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Saturday.
News 6 partner Florida Today reports a leak in launch pad equipment postponed Friday's planned liftoff of the rocket and GPS satellite by one day to 12:13 p.m. Saturday. The first launch attempt was originally scheduled for 12:17 p.m. Friday.
A faulty valve was discovered late during launch preparations Thursday, after the 19-story rocket had rolled to its pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41, United Launch Alliance said.
Florida Today reports the valve was part of the system that dumps water on the pad to suppress noise vibrations generated as the rocket blasts off with 860,000 pounds of thrust. If not dampened, the vibrations could damage the rocket during its ascent with the Air Force's 11th in a series of a dozen satellites modernizing the GPS constellation.
The Atlas V was launched in its most basic configuration known as the "401," with a 4-meter (13.1-foot) diameter payload fairing, no solid rocket motors attached to the booster and a single engine powering the Centaur upper stage.
The mission is ULA's 11th of 2015.