WASHINGTON Ñ The United States has again delayed a missile defense test because of poor weather conditions.

It was the second postponement in as many days. Officials did not say what would take place if the poor weather continues.

Pentagon officials said the poor weather did not meet range safety requirements at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. A Pentagon statement said the test was rescheduled for Monday. The statement said the launch window begins at 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Officials said a large balloon decoy would be used in the test. If Monday's test is successful, officials said, the number of balloon decoys would be increased.

"We will have increased our confidence to move on to more aggressive and complicated efforts in these tests," Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish, director of the Pentagon's Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, said. "We will make corrections and we will continue to test to build our confidence and to learn more."

The test is being conducted by BMDO in support of research and development efforts associated with the Ground-based Midcourse Defense Program, formerly known as National Missile Defense.

The new approach stemmed from Washington's efforts to remain within the limits of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. So far, the Pentagon has scrapped plans to employ an Aegis radar aboard a surface ship to track the launch.

Officials said the next test is scheduled for February. They said the administration will continue development of a layered missile defense system despite the focus on the war in Afghanistan.

"Terrorism is [a threat], but so, too, are cruise missiles and ballistic missiles and cyber attacks," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. "We make a big mistake if we react to the most recent event and say, 'My goodness, that's the problem, and nothing else is,' because that's just not true. We have to look at the full spectrum of asymmetrical threats."

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