The Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR, satellite will serve as an early warning beacon for impending solar storms while providing dramatic views of the Earth from its perch nearly 1 million miles toward the sun. NASA

Last Updated Feb 9, 2015 8:37 AM EST

Launch of a satellite dreamed up 17 years ago by Al Gore to provide continuous views of Earth via the internet and now repurposed to serve as a space weather station will have to wait at least until Tuesday to get into space, after problems with an Air Force radar derailed a launch attempt Sunday.

Perched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR, spacecraft had been scheduled for liftoff from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 6:10 p.m. EST Sunday. But just two minutes and 27 seconds before liftoff, the countdown was aborted when engineers were unable to fix the radar problem in time.

SpaceX also had problems with a video transmitter on the first stage of the Falcon 9, but that gear was not required for launch. In any case, the scrub was a disappointment for the launch team and, presumably, to Gore, who was on hand for the flight.

SpaceX has now rescheduled the launch for 6:05 p.m. Tuesday, assuming the technical issues can be resolved in time and the weather cooperates. Weather was not favorable to try for a launch on Monday.

The 1,256-pound solar-powered DSCOVR satellite is bound for a point 930,000 miles toward the sun where the gravity of Earth and its star are in a sort of balance, allowing spacecraft to remain on station with minimal use of maneuvering fuel. Because of the deep space trajectory, the mission does not have the luxury of a launch window and must take off on time.

The primary goal of the repurposed $340 million DSCOVR mission is to replace an aging NASA satellite, providing space weather data to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"DSCOVR will provide the observations necessary to help us deliver warnings and alerts to industries affected by space weather so they can take action to protect infrastructure and be more resilient in the face of severe events," said Tom Berger, director of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.

Assuming a problem-free launch, it will take DSCOVR about three-and-a-half months to reach L1. NASA then will spent about 40 days testing and checking out the satellite's instruments and subsystems before turning the spacecraft over to NOAA this summer for routine operations.

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NOAA space weather satellite to provide solar storm warning