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Failed Launch Puts NASA Satellite In Ocean

A rocket carrying a NASA satellite meant to track global warming has landed in the ocean near Antarctica after a failed launch.

The rocket with the Orbiting Carbon Observatory lifted off Tuesday morning from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, but a protective covering apparently failed to separate.

The observatory was to be NASA's first satellite dedicated to monitoring carbon dioxide on a global scale. A similar Japanese satellite is already in orbit.

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Award-winning journalist Richard Harris has reported on a wide range of topics in science, medicine and the environment since he joined NPR in 1986. In early 2014, his focus shifted from an emphasis on climate change and the environment to biomedical research.
Renee Montagne, one of the best-known names in public radio, is a special correspondent and host for NPR News.