Satellite launch delayed for technical reasons

A key launch mission for China's Beidou Navigation Satellite System was postponed on Tuesday to give engineers more time to ensure its complete success, said a rocket designer involved in the mission.

The designer, who wished not to be named, said that space missions are characterized by their unexpected factors and technical risks, so it is not uncommon for such events to be postponed by space authorities around the world.

"For us, our ultimate goal is to make sure that each and every launch is successful. It is a fundamental principle that we will never pump fuel into a rocket if there are technical uncertainties," he said on Tuesday afternoon. "Therefore, we decided to postpone the launch after careful deliberation."