25 Feb 2009

Satellite mission fails

5:20 am on 25 February 2009

A US satellite has crashed into the ocean near Antarctica after failing to reach orbit levels after take-off.

NASA said the satellite was launched successfully from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a Taurus XL rocket at 1.55am on Tuesday (local time).

A device failed to separate properly minutes after liftoff.

The satellite was carrying equipment to map the global distribution of carbon dioxide and study how it changes.