T-0:00:02.7 |
Engine Start |
The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch. |
|
T+0:00:01.1 |
Liftoff |
The Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-018, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. |
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T+0:04:03 |
Main Engine Cutoff |
The RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage. |
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T+0:04:09 |
Stage Separation |
The Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition. |
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T+0:04:19 |
Centaur Ignition 1 |
The Centaur RL10 engine ignites for the longer of the today's two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and spacecraft into a parking orbit. |
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T+0:04:27 |
Nose Cone Jettison |
The payload fairing that protected the PAN spacecraft during launch is separated once heating levels drop to predetermined limits. |
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T+0:17:27 |
Centaur Cutoff 1 |
The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned parking orbit. The vehicle enters a lengthy coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn. |
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T+1:55:10 |
Centaur Ignition 2 |
The Centaur re-ignites to accelerate the payload out of the temporary parking orbit achieved earlier in the launch sequence. |
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T+1:56:36 |
Centaur Cutoff 2 |
At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have propelled the PAN spacecraft into the planned launch deployment orbit. The exact parameters have not been announced. |
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T+1:59:25 |
PAN Separation |
The secretive PAN communications satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. government is released from the Centaur upper stage to complete the launch. |