T-00:00.0 |
Liftoff |
The Delta 3 rocket's main engine and twin vernier steering thrusters are started moments before launch. The six ground-start strap-on solid rocket motors are ignited at T-0 to begin the mission. |
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T+01:17.1 |
Ground-lit SRM burnout |
The six ground-start Alliant TechSystems-built solid rocket motors consume all their propellant and burn out. The three SRMs without thrust-vector control burn out first followed by the three TVC-equipped motors a half-second later. |
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T+01:19.0 |
Air-lit SRM ignition |
The three remaining Alliant TechSystems-built solid rocket motors strapped to the Delta 3 rocket's first stage are ignited. |
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T+01:20.5 |
Jettison ground-lit SRMs |
The six spent ground-started solid rocket boosters are jettisoned in sets of three. The first three are the TVC-equipped ones with steerable nozzles at T+80.5 and the non-TVC motors at T+81.5 seconds to fall into the Atlantic Ocean. |
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T+02:39.5 |
Jettison air-lit SRMs |
Having burned out three seconds earlier, the three spent air-started solid rocket boosters are jettisoned toward the Atlantic Ocean. |
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T+03:46.5 |
Jettison payload fairing |
The 4-meter diameter composite payload fairing that protected the simulated satellite cargo atop the Delta 3 during the atmospheric ascent is jettisoned is two halves. |
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T+04:20.4 |
Main engine cutoff |
After consuming its RP-1 fuel and liquid oxygen, the Rocketdyne RS-27A first stage main engine is shut down. The vernier engines cut off moments later. |
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T+04:29.0 |
Stage separation |
The Delta rocket's first stage is separated now, having completed its job. The spent stage will fall into the Atlantic Ocean. |
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T+04:42.5 |
Second stage ignition |
With the stage jettisoned, the rocket's second stage takes over. The Pratt & Whitney RL-10B-2 liquid-fueled engine ignites for the first of two firings needed to place the upper stage and dummy satellite into the intended orbit. |
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T+13:40.6 |
Second stage cutoff 1 |
The second stage engine shuts down to complete its first firing of the launch. The rocket and attached payload are now in an 8-minute coast period before the second stage reignites. |
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T+21:55.5 |
Second stage restart |
Delta's second stage engine reignites for a short firing to continue the journey to space, boosting the vehicle from a prelimary parking orbit. |
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T+24:28.8 |
Second stage cutoff 2 |
The second stage shuts down having arrived in an elliptical geosynchronous transfer orbit around Earth. |
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T+28:34.5 |
Attitude maneuvers |
Tiny thrusters on the side of the rocket are fired to begin maneuvers to achieve the proper spacecraft separation attitude. This will take nearly six minutes to complete. |
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T+36:02.5 |
Start spacecraft spin-up |
The second stage beginning spinning like a top to prepare for deployment of the dummy payload. |
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T+36:18.5 |
Payload separation |
The simulated satellite cargo, shaped like spool, is released into space from the Delta 3 rocket's second stage. The Delta should have placed the satellite into a transfer orbit with a high point of 13,719 nautical miles and low point of 100 nautical miles, inclined 27.5 degrees to the equator. |