Japan delays launch of mini-rocket amid bad weather

Japanese space agency on Wednesday postponed the launch of an experimental rocket due to adverse weather conditions.

The modified sounding rocket SS-520, to be the world's smallest rocket to put an object in orbit, was scheduled to take off on Wednesday morning from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan's southwestern Kagoshima Prefecture.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said it put off the launch as the winds were forecasted to grow stronger.

A new launch date has not yet been decided, but would be no earlier than Saturday, according to the space agency.

With a length of 10 meters, diameter of 0.5 meter and weight of 2.6 ton, the rocket is to send a geological survey and communication experimental satellite to space.

Developed by the University of Tokyo, the TRICOM1 satellite weighs about 3 kilogram and has a length of 35 centimeter.

Source: Xinhua News Agency