Will the third time be a charm?

A week after it was scrubbed because of various issues, an Atlas V rocket is rolled back out to the launch pad.

The rocket is carrying Radiation Belt Storm Probes, a pair of spacecraft that will be released into earth's Van Allen radiation belts.

  • Launch scheduled for 4:05 a.m. Thursday. See the launch LIVE on News 13 when it happens.

Solar storms can cause those belts to contract and expand, posing a risk to communication satellites, crippling GPS services, TV and cellphone signals, and even shutting down power grids.

Scientists hope this mission will help them predict space weather and the effects of these radiation belts on our everyday lives.