Wednesday, October 28, 2009 CAPE CANAVERAL: Bad weather was interfering with NASA's attempt to launch a new, experimental rocket for the second day in a row early Wednesday.An estimated 154 lightning strikes were reported within a five-mile radius of the launch pad overnight. Launch controllers were retesting the Ares I-X rocket systems to make sure nothing was damaged. The extra work delayed Wednesday morning's liftoff. NASA had until noon to get the rocket flying.Tuesday's launch attempt was thwarted by clouds and wind. More of the same was expected Wednesday.The Ares I-X is a precursor to the rockets NASA hopes to launch with astronauts to the International Space Station and, ultimately, the moon. The White House may scrap it, however, in favor of other rockets and destinations.NASA has invested $445 million in the test.The first-stage booster will be recovered from the ocean for analysis.
BAGHDAD: Nearly 500 U.S. Army combat engineers who specialize in clearing roads of explosives started shifting to southern Afghanistan."We are probably going to be the beginning of the influx you are going to see to Afghanistan," Lt. Col. Kevin Landers, commander of the Fort Carson, Colo.-based 4th Engineer Battalion, said as crews packed crates and cleaned vehicles for the flight to Kandahar.Obama has ordered 17,000 more U.S. soldiers and Marines to Afghanistan to bolster the 38,000 American troops already battling the resurgent Taliban."We are going to take this footprint out of Iraq," said Landers, whose battalion received word of its reassignment last month just after taking command of clearing roads in Baghdad of bombs and debris.
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