T-00:02.7 |
Engine Start |
The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch. |
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T+00:01.1 |
Liftoff |
The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-022, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. |
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T+01:30.6 |
Mach 1 and Max Q |
The Atlas rocket achieves Mach 1 some 81 seconds into the flight, then passes through the region of maximum dynamic pressure at 91 seconds. |
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T+04:03.0 |
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+04:09.0 |
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+04:19.0 |
Centaur Ignition 1 |
The Centaur RL10 engine ignites for the longer of the two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and SBIRS GEO 1 spacecraft into a parking orbit. |
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T+04:27.0 |
Nose Cone Jettison |
The two-piece payload fairing that protected the SBIRS GEO 1 craft during the atmospheric ascent is separated to reveal the satellite to space. |
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T+15:31.9 |
Centaur Cutoff 1 |
The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned parking orbit. The vehicle enters a brief coast period lasting nearly 9 minutes before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn. |
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T+24:17.0 |
Centaur Ignition 2 |
The Centaur re-ignites over the equatorial Atlantic to accelerate the payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit from the parking achieved earlier in the launch sequence. |
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T+28:09.5 |
Centaur Cutoff 2 |
At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have delivered the SBIRS GEO 1 spacecraft into the targeted orbit with an apogee of 22,236 statute miles, perigee of 115 statute miles and inclination of 21.64 degrees. |
T+43:19.5 |
Spacecraft Separation |
The U.S. military's first Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous spacecraft, or SBIRS GEO-1, is released into orbit from the Centaur upper stage to complete the AV-022 launch. |