Rojek cited a "technical engineering problem" as the reason for the delay, which pushed back the launch by 24 hours. He said a status console "was trying to tell (NASA officials) something they already knew," indicating a problem with the system.
The Taurus XL rocket was carrying NASA's Glory satellite, which is slated for a three-year mission to analyze how airborne particles affect Earth's climate. Besides monitoring particles in the atmosphere, Glory will also track solar activity to determine the sun's effect on climate.
The $434 million mission is managed by the NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.