Boeing Delays Launch of Delta IV Rocket

Boeing Co. scrubbed the first launch of its Delta IV rocket Tuesday and said it would try again today after a computer detected problems with a valve that vents liquid oxygen from a rocket tank.

Alarms detecting minor mechanical problems and high winds delayed the launch Tuesday afternoon, frustrating about 1,500 Boeing employees who sat through the delays as they watched the events unfold on a giant outdoor screen in Huntington Beach.

The scheduled launch at Cape Canaveral, Fla., was scrubbed with 2 minutes and 22 seconds left in the countdown, prompting a loud groan from the engineers and employees in Huntington Beach who work on the rocket. The launch was initially set for Saturday but was pushed back to Tuesday because of a mechanical problem.

“A valve that helps vent the liquid oxygen tank was not operating properly,” a Boeing spokesman said. “It seems to be a simple fix and we’re going to try again” today.

The Delta IV, powered by the nation’s first new rocket engine in decades, is designed to compete with rival Lockheed Martin Corp. for military and commercial satellite launches.