Storm-delayed California launch reset

With Tropical Storm Hanna's threat to the Space Coast subsided, the Brevard-based launch team is headed west to get ready for a Delta 2 rocket launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The California launch will put in orbit the highest-resolution commercial imagery satellite ever, GeoEye-1. The mission is set to blast off Sunday at 2:51 p.m. Eastern time. The original plan was to launch today.

Then-Hurricane Hanna's approach to the east coast of Florida had prompted the Florida-based launch team to stay in place here rather than travel to California.
With the storm approaching, the Florida spaceport facilities were in hurricane preparations and the launch team opted to stay home until after the storm threat has passed.

United Launch Alliance workers in Florida can monitor the company's latest information about their work schedules over the new few days at ulalaunch.com although schedules are mostly back to normal for now. Another storm -- Hurricane Ike -- is gaining strength out to sea.

Image note: Above is the latest live image from inside the launch control center at Vandenberg Air Force Base on the central coast of California. Refresh your page for a constantly updated image.