Related: NASA's Pluto probe sets to fly

      WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- High winds forced NASA to postpone the launch on Tuesday afternoon of the Pluto probe, New Horizons, on a mission to explore the smallest and the most remote planet in the Solar system.     

NASA Administrator Michael Griffin at a prelaunch press conference for the New Horizons spacecraft, at the Kennedy Space Center, FL. NASA postponed the launch of the world's first probe to the icy, never-explored planet of Pluto after excessively strong winds put the liftoff at risk.(Xinhua/AFP)

The U.S. space agency said the next launch attempt will be made between 1:16 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. EST (1816 to 2015 GMT) Wednesday.

    However, AP reports said the weather forecast held a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms, clouds and gusty winds that could prevent a launch.

    The probe was originally planned to be launched between 1:24 p.m. to 3:23 p.m. EST (1824-2023 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

    New Horizons will be the first spacecraft to arrive at Pluto. Scientists believe the 700-million-U.S.-dollar mission could increase their understanding of the formation of the Solar system.

    New Horizons, of 454 kg in weight, will travel 4.8 billion km in space. It is planned to arrive at the icy Pluto around mid-2015. Its tasks also include studying Pluto's large moon Charon and two other newly discovered moons orbiting the planet.

    The fast flying New Horizons does not carry enough fuel to makes low downs that allow it to enter the orbit of Pluto.

    After the flybys to Pluto and its moons, the probe will visit the surrounding Kuiper Belt, and continue to fly and will not comeback.

    The Kuiper Belt is believed to consist of remainders from the early formation of the Solar system.

    The probe is equipped with seven scientific instruments that together consume less energy than a night light.

    Since Pluto is too far away from the sun, the probe cannot use solar energy and will rely on the power from the radioactive decay of 24 pounds of plutonium pellets.

    If the probe cannot be launched by Feb. 2, it will miss the opportunity to get a boost in its velocity from Jupiter's gravity field. Scientists estimate a direct flight to Pluto would take at least three more years. Enditem