NASA announced to study the Earth’s carbon dioxide were dealt a setback few days ago when a satellite failed to reach orbit. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory satellite lifted off about 4:55 a.m. 24 February, from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Respective officials said to media it appeared that the satellite failed to part from its Taurus XL launch vehicle. NASA thinks that the satellite crashed in the Pacific Ocean near Antarctica. Though the rocket contained hydrazine fuel, but NASA said they did not consider the fuel posed any risks to humans. The spacecraft weighed just about 1,000 pounds. It was protected by a clamshell-shaped cover. The cover was supposed to separate but in fact did not.

Officials said they would immediately form a team of investigators try to find out the cause of the failure after some rounds of thorough testing indicated the satellite and booster were ready for launch. If the launch were successful, it would have sent one of Orbital Sciences’ LEOStar-2 spaceships approximately 400 miles above Earth to measure carbon dioxide around the clock with a single device. The observatory would have helped collect necessary information and sufficient data that could have helped scientists learn more about global warming by pinpointing areas where the gas builds up.

NASA’s scientists and experts believe that carbon dioxide is concentrated in the atmosphere at around 380 parts per million and rapidly increasing. On the other hand, ground base stations and aircraft collect a number of information about the sources and areas of highest concentration. However, NASA hoped to map concentrations around the globe every 16 days during the next two years.

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