The US Defense Department's decision was taken after Newfoundland Prime Minister Danny Williams ordered the evacuation of hundreds of oil workers in his Atlantic coast province ahead of Monday's planned launch.

Canada "strongly urged" the United States to postpone the launch due to concerns that debris from the Titan IV rocket, which was to be launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, would fall on the platforms.

Propeller debris were expected to fall 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the Hibernia oil platform used by a consortium that includes ExxonMobil Canada, Chevron Canada Resources and Petro-Canada. The platform is 350 kilometersmiles) southeast of Newfoundland.

The delay will allow the United States "to calculate a new trajectory, or whatever else they're going to do," Graham told reporters.