The second probe to Mars has been launched in the United States

From the cosmodrome at Cape Karaveral, a successful launch of the American Delta II carrier rocket with the Opportunity probe, on board of which there is a robot March, was made.

The launch was made on the second attempt. 7 seconds before the end of the back of the time, the start was canceled due to problems with one of the injection valves of the rocket, ITAR-TASS reports.

However, according to the representative of NASA, the problems were eliminated, and with a delay in 43 minutes, the Opportunity robot March at 23:18 Time of the east coast of the United States (07:18 p.m. Moscow time) went on a trip to the Red Planet.

The launch of the Opportunity, equipped with six robot wheels, was supposed to take place on June 25. However, due to bad weather in the area of ​​the cosmodrome, as well as malfunctions in the protective coating of Delta II, the start was transferred several times.

If the launch could not be made before July 15, it would have to be postponed for at least 4 years. The fact is that now Mars has approached the Earth at the most close distance over the past 15 thousand years - about 136 million km. This allows you to reduce travel time from 9-10 months to 7.

The first rover - Spirit, which started on June 10, successfully moves towards the Red Planet. He should go down in Gusev’s crater on January 3 next year, and Opportunity at a distance of 9600 km from him, in the Meridian Planum, January 25.

It is expected that robots - "twins" weighing 180 kg will operate 92 days. The task of the mission, the preparation of which cost $ 800 million - the search for water and evidence of life forms that had once existed on Mars.