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American Morning

NASA Set to Launch Odyssey to Mars

Aired April 06, 2001 - 11:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Space junkies are going to want to hear the latest news from John Zarrella. He is at Kennedy Space Center, talking about a big mission taking off tomorrow -- hi, John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

Huge mission: It's called Odyssey. And, tomorrow, about 11:00 in the morning Eastern Time, NASA is going to attempt to send Odyssey to the planet Mars. It is going to be the first attempt since the loss of both the Polar Lander and the Climate Orbiter back in 1999. This vehicle, Odyssey, is all part of the restructured and streamlined NASA Mars program. So it's hugely important that this is a success.

Odyssey will not land on the Martian surface when it gets there in six months, but will orbit and will continue what NASA hopes is a grand search for water that will ultimately lead to the finding of water. Weather is expected to be absolutely ideal tomorrow morning at 11:01 Eastern Time -- perhaps too good. They say there's going to be lots of boaters out there. And they have got to be out of the area where the launch is taking place.

So they are going to have trouble keeping all those boaters out of the restricted area, which could, of course, force delays in the launch. But right now, the plan is a go. Everything is set for the launch of Odyssey to Mars.

John Zarrella, reporting live at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

KAGAN: John, thank you very much.

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