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Despite Scrubbed Launch, Orion Fans Wait For Next Attempt

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (CBS4)- Despite the scrubbed launch of the Orion spacecraft, there are fans of the Orion Project waiting for Friday morning's second attempt.

Wind gusts, a boat and sticky fuel valves kept NASA's new Colorado-built Orion spacecraft on the launch pad Thursday, delaying a crucial test flight meant to revitalize human exploration.

NASA promised to try again Friday morning.

Many waiting to watch the historic spacecraft blast off knew the delay was a possibility so they planned to say a few extra days.

"It's disappointing but not something we wouldn't expect," said Colorado residents Colleen Kennedy and Sean O'Dell.

Both are part of the team at Lockheed Martin who helped build the capsule. They also planned for the possibility of a late launch.

"Wish we could have seen it launch today but we are excited to come back tomorrow," said Kennedy.

Kennedy's daughters agree, "That's amazing coming here to see what she worked on for a long time, it's pretty cool."

PHOTO GALLERY: CBS4 Covers Orion Spacecraft Launch

Orion is how NASA hopes to one day send astronauts to Mars. This inaugural flight, while just 4½ hours, will send the unmanned capsule 3,600 miles into space.

The Orion's heat shield was made by the people at Lockheed Martin in Littleton, and United Launch Alliance in Centennial built the rocket that will lift it into space. The whole event will be able to be seen courtesy of flight cameras built buy Ball Aerospace in Broomfield.

The ultimate goal, in the decades ahead, is to use Orion to carry people to Mars and back.

LINKS: NASA-Orion | Lockheed Martin-Orion

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