(Associated Press via NewsEdge) Japan's space agency is set to launch a domestically developed H2-A rocket carrying the country's largest satellite into orbit, an agency spokeswoman said.
The launch was originally scheduled to take place this past Saturday, but the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency decided to delay it due to poor weather conditions that raised concerns of a possible lightning strike in the flight's early stages that could interfere with electrical equipment on board.
Preparations for the launch set for Monday afternoon were proceeding normally, said agency spokeswoman Wakana Muneto.
The rocket will be the 11th Japan has launched. The agency had set a window for delays through Feb. 28.
The satellite will be used for telecommunications and to conduct sensitive measurements of time, calibrating a high-precision clock onboard with those on the ground, according to the space agency.
The launch would be the first of an H2-A since Japan launched its third intelligence-gathering satellite in September. The rocket is the workhorse of Japan's space program.
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