NASA to launch newest Earth-observation satellite

February 21, 2011 at 2:54p.m.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — NASA is ready to launch its newest Earth-observing satellite.

The satellite dubbed Glory is scheduled to blast off early Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the central California coast. Once in orbit, it will join a constellation of satellites already collecting climate data.

Glory will study tiny airborne particles and their influence on climate change.

The $424 million mission was supposed to fly last year, but a problem with the satellite’s solar arrays delayed the launch.