BY JUSTIN RAY

Follow the countdown and launch of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket with the U.S. Air Force's latest GPS navigation spacecraft. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: DELTA ROCKET LIFTS OFF WITH GPS 2R-13 QT
VIDEO: LONGER CLIP SHOWING THE NIGHTTIME ASCENT QT
VIDEO: ALARM STOPS FRIDAY'S DELTA ROCKET COUNTDOWN QT
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2004

After a nerve-racking stay on its Cape Canaveral launch pad with uncomfortably close encounters by two powerful hurricanes, a Boeing Delta 2 rocket finally thundered into space today where it successfully deployed a Global Positioning System satellite to aid U.S. military forces around the world. Read our full story.

0604 GMT (1:04 a.m. EST)

T+plus 25 minutes, 35 seconds. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION! The U.S. Air Force's NAVSTAR Global Positioning System Block 2R-13 spacecraft has been released from the Boeing Delta 2 rocket's third stage to complete today's launch from Cape Canaveral.

The GPS satellite will boost itself into the GPS constellation in the coming days and undergo a checkout period by ground controllers. The $45 million craft will fill the Plane D, Slot 1 position in the GPS network. After on-orbit testing, GPS 2R-13, also known as SVN-61, is expected to enter service by November 30.

The new satellite replaces the ailing GPS 2A-11 craft launched in July 1991.

This marks the 114th successful Delta 2 rocket launch out of 116 flights since 1989 and extends the string of consecutive successes to 61 dating back to 1997. It was the sixth Delta launch in 2004.

The next Delta 2 flight will occur from Cape Canaveral on November 17 to place NASA's Swift gamma-ray burst detection observatory into orbit. That vehicle is already assembled on pad 17A and Swift is scheduled for delivery to the complex on Monday.

The year's eighth and final Delta 2 launch is slated for December 30 to dispatch NASA's Deep Impact probe on its voyage to Comet Tempel 1.

This concludes our live play-by-play coverage of today's mission. Check back later for a wrap-up story, pictures and a movie clip of the launch.

0602 GMT (1:02 a.m. EST)

T+plus 23 minutes, 33 seconds. The third stage has burned out of its solid fuel, ending the Delta 2 rocket's powered flight for the launch of the GPS 2R-13 spaeccraft. Separation of the payload is about two minutes away.

About two seconds after release of the satellite, a small "yo" will be strung out from the third stage put the motor into a tumble and keep it from running into the GPS spacecraft.

0601 GMT (1:01 a.m. EST)

T+plus 22 minutes, 40 seconds. Good chamber pressure on the third stage is reported.

0601 GMT (1:01 a.m. EST)

T+plus 22 minutes, 11 seconds. Third stage ignition! The Thiokol Star 48B motor is firing to propel the GPS 2R-13 satellite into its targeted orbit for this launch.

0600 GMT (1:00 a.m. EST)

T+plus 21 minutes, 34 seconds. The solid-fueled third stage has separated from the Delta 2's second stage.

As the launch sequence continues with the third stage burn and subsequent deployment of the GPS 2R-13 satellite, the second stage will conduct one additional engine firing to deplete its remaining fuel supply and lower its orbital inclination. This is designed to minimize the amount of land that the stage flies over during its natural fall from orbit and future reentry.

0600 GMT (1:00 a.m. EST)

T+plus 21 minutes, 28 seconds. Spin up has begun.

0559 GMT (12:59 a.m. EST)

T+plus 20 minutes, 37 seconds. SECO 2. The second stage has completed its second burn of this launch. In the next minute, tiny thrusters on the side of the rocket will be fired to spin up the vehicle in preparation for jettison of the second stage.

0559 GMT (12:59 a.m. EST)

T+plus 20 minutes, 2 seconds. Engine ignition! The Delta 2 rocket's second stage engine has restarted to boost the vehicle into a higher orbit.

0558 GMT (12:58 a.m. EST)

T+plus 19 minutes, 35 seconds. Ascension has picked up the rocket's signal.

0558 GMT (12:58 a.m. EST)

T+plus 19 minutes. Second stage engine restart is about one minute away.

0556 GMT (12:56 a.m. EST)

T+plus 17 minutes. The Ascension Island tracking site should acquire the Delta rocket's telemetry signal in about three minutes.

0555 GMT (12:55 a.m. EST)

T+plus 16 minutes. As this coast phase of the launch continues, you can see a map of the rocket's planned track here.

0554 GMT (12:54 a.m. EST)

T+plus 15 minutes. The rocket has successfully achieved a parking orbit with an apogee of 211.25 miles, perigee of 94.42 miles and inclination of 36.90 degrees. That is right on the pre-planned orbit parameters.

0553 GMT (12:53 a.m. EST)

T+plus 14 minutes. The official launch time was 12:39:00.384 a.m. EST -- right at the opening of today's window.

0552 GMT (12:52 a.m. EST)

T+plus 13 minutes, 20 seconds. The rocket has passed out of range from the Antigua tracking site. This begins an expected 7-minute telemetry blackout while the vehicle coasts in the parking orbit. The Ascension island station will provide live coverage during the upcoming restart of the second stage, the third stage firing and subsequent separation of the GPS satellite.

0551 GMT (12:51 a.m. EST)

T+plus 12 minutes. Restart of second stage engine is expected at about T+plus 19 minutes, 56 seconds. The stage will fire for approximately 35 seconds to raise the orbit's high point, or apogee, by nearly 500 miles. That will be followed by separation between the second and third stages. The upper stage will burn to inject GPS into the intended transfer orbit. Deployment of the payload to complete the launch is expected at T+plus 25 minutes.

0550 GMT (12:50 a.m. EST)

T+plus 11 minutes, 4 seconds. SECO 1. The second stage engine cutoff has occurred, completing the motor's first firing of the day. The Delta 2 rocket with GPS 2R-13 has arrived in a preliminary orbit around Earth following launch tonight from Cape Canaveral. The vehicle will coast for the next nine minutes before the second stage is re-ignited.

0549 GMT (12:49 a.m. EST)

T+plus 10 minutes, 30 seconds. The rocket is now 97 miles in altitude, 1,496 miles downrange from the launch site, traveling at 16,409 mph.

0549 GMT (12:49 a.m. EST)

T+plus 10 minutes. The second stage has one minute remaining in this burn.

0548 GMT (12:48 a.m. EST)

T+plus 9 minutes, 35 seconds. The rocket is now 97 miles in altitude, 1,276 miles downrange from the launch site, traveling at 15,575 mph.

0547 GMT (12:47 a.m. EST)

T+plus 8 minutes, 30 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket is 96 miles in altitude, 1,037 miles downrange from the launch pad, traveling over 14,600 mph.

0547 GMT (12:47 a.m. EST)

T+plus 8 minutes. Antigua ground tracking station is acquiring the rocket's signal as the vehicle flies downrange. The second stage engine continues to fire.

0546 GMT (12:46 a.m. EST)

T+plus 7 minutes, 40 seconds. The second stage engine is still firing, consuming a hydrazine propellant mixture and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. This burn is needed to achieve a parking orbit around Earth.

0545 GMT (12:45 a.m. EST)

T+plus 6 minutes. The Delta 2 rocket is 79 miles in altitude, 530 miles east of the launch pad, traveling over 13,000 mph.

0544 GMT (12:44 a.m. EST)

T+plus 5 minutes, 4 seconds. The 9.5-foot diameter protective payload fairing enclosing the GPS spacecraft atop the rocket has jettisoned in two halves.

0543 GMT (12:43 a.m. EST)

T+plus 4 minutes, 50 seconds. The Aerojet AJ10-118K engine of the Delta 2 rocket's second stage engine has ignited! This is the first of two critical firings that the second stage must perform to deliver the GPS 2R-13 satellite space.

0543 GMT (12:43 a.m. EST)

T+plus 4 minutes, 38 seconds. MECO! Main engine cutoff. The Rocketdyne RS-27A first stage main engine has shut down to complete its firing during tonight's launch. The twin vernier steering thrusters fired a few additional seconds before they cut off. Then the spent stage was jettisoned to fall into the Atlantic.

0543 GMT (12:43 a.m. EST)

T+plus 4 minutes. The first stage continues to fire normally.

0542 GMT (12:42 a.m. EST)

T+plus 3 minutes, 40 seconds. Good chamber pressure reported on the Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine.

0542 GMT (12:42 a.m. EST)

T+plus 3 minutes. The Delta 2 rocket is 35 miles in altitude, 89 miles east of the launch pad, traveling at 5,700 mph.

0541 GMT (12:41 a.m. EST)

T+plus 2 minutes, 20 seconds. The three air-ignited solid rocket boosters have burned out and separated. The rocket is now flying solely on the power generated by the liquid-fueled first stage main engine.

0540 GMT (12:40 a.m. EST)

T+plus 1 minute, 58 seconds. Chamber pressures tailing off on the air-lit solids.

0540 GMT (12:40 a.m. EST)

T+plus 1 minute, 40 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket is stable and performing normally.

0540 GMT (12:40 a.m. EST)

T+plus 1 minute, 20 seconds. All six ground-start solid rocket boosters have burned out of propellant and separated from the Delta 2's first stage. A moment before the jettison occurred, the three remaining motors strapped to rocket ignited to continue assisting the rocket's RS-27A main engine on the push to space.

0539 GMT (12:39 a.m. EST)

T+plus 56 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket has passed through the region of maximum aerodynamic pressure during its atmospheric ascent.

0539 GMT (12:39 a.m. EST)

T+plus 40 seconds. The vehicle has broken the sound barrier as it accelerates rapidly on the combined power from the kerosene- and liquid oxygen-fed main engine and six solid-propellant motors.

0539 GMT (12:39 a.m. EST)

T+plus 30 seconds. The six solid rocket motors ignited on the launch pad have surpassed their period of maximum thrust. Each of the Alliant Techsystems-made boosters generate roughly 100,000 pounds of thrust.

0539 GMT (12:39 a.m. EST)

T+plus 20 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket is darting into the nighttime sky from Cape Canaveral's Complex 17B. The vehicle has maneuvered to the correct eastward trajectory from Florida's coastline for the flight over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

0539 GMT (12:39 a.m. EST)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket launching the latest NAVSTAR spacecraft for the U.S. military's Global Positioning System!

0538 GMT (12:38 a.m. EST)

T-minus 30 seconds. Hydraulics and electronics status checks are reported "go."

The launch ignition sequence will begin at T-minus 2 seconds when a Boeing engineer triggers the engine start switch. The process begins with ignition of the two vernier engines and first stage main engine start. The six ground-lit solid rocket motors then light at T-0 for liftoff.

0538 GMT (12:38 a.m. EST)

T-minus 1 minute. The Delta 2 rocket's second stage hydraulic pump has gone to internal power after its pressures were verified acceptable.

0537 GMT (12:37 a.m. EST)

T-minus 75 seconds. The Range has given its final clear-to-launch.

0537 GMT (12:37 a.m. EST)

T-minus 2 minutes. The first stage liquid oxygen vents are being closed so the LOX tank can be pressurized for launch. Puffs of vapor from a relief valve on the rocket will be seen in the remainder of the countdown as the tank pressure stabilizes.

0536 GMT (12:36 a.m. EST)

T-minus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The GPS 2R-13 spacecraft has been declared "go" for launch.

0536 GMT (12:36 a.m. EST)

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The rocket's third stage safe and arm devices are being armed.

0535 GMT (12:35 a.m. EST)

T-minus 3 minutes, 45 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket's systems are now transferring to internal power for launch.

0535 GMT (12:35 a.m. EST)

T-minus 4 minutes and counting! The final phase of the countdown is underway for launch of the Delta 2 rocket and the GPS 2R-13 military navigation satellite at 12:39 a.m. EST from pad 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

0534 GMT (12:34 a.m. EST)

Standing by to resume the countdown in one minute.

0532 GMT (12:32 a.m. EST)

The Air Force management poll has been conducted with no concerns announced.

0531 GMT (12:31 a.m. EST)

The launch team has been polled by the Boeing launch conductor for a "go" to proceed with the countdown. No problems were reported. The team is now receiving final instructions on countdown procedures.

0530 GMT (12:30 a.m. EST)

The countdown is half-way through this built-in hold. Launch team polling is starting.

0529 GMT (12:29 a.m. EST)

Time to launch is 10 minutes. No issues or concerns are being reported with the launch vehicle, spacecraft, Range or weather.

0525 GMT (12:25 a.m. EST)

T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the final planned hold point for tonight's launch attempt. During this planned 10-minute hold, officials will poll the various team members in the soft blockhouse, Range Operations Control Center and Mission Directors Center. If all systems are "go," the countdown will resume for liftoff at 12:39 a.m. EDT (0539 GMT).

0524 GMT (12:24 a.m. EST)

The Air Force launch weather officer says conditions are "go" for liftoff today.

0523 GMT (12:23 a.m. EST)

Pressurization of the facility water tanks is beginning.

0522 GMT (12:22 a.m. EST)

The liquid oxygen tank is being topped off to 100 percent.

0520 GMT (12:20 a.m. EST)

The spacecraft safe and arm devices are armed.

0519 GMT (12:19 a.m. EST)

T-minus 10 minutes and counting. The Lockheed Martin-built GPS spacecraft payload is now confirmed to be on internal battery power for flight.

0518 GMT (12:18 a.m. EST)

Checking the ground winds, gusts have been exceeding 20 knots but below the 25-knot limit.

0517 GMT (12:17 a.m. EST)

The Range safety checks have been completed. Data analysis is underway.

0515 GMT (12:15 a.m. EST)

Inhibited checks are now beginning for the Range Safety command destruct receivers that would be used in destroying the Delta rocket should the vehicle veer off course and malfunction during the launch.

0514 GMT (12:14 a.m. EST)

The GPS 2R-13 spacecraft cargo atop the Delta 2 rocket is now switching to internal power for launch.

0511 GMT (12:11 a.m. EST)

A spokesman says the Range issue has been resolved.

0509 GMT (12:09 a.m. EST)

T-minus 20 minutes and counting. The planned hold in the countdown has been released. Clocks will now tick down to T-minus 4 minutes where the final hold is scheduled.

0506 GMT (12:06 a.m. EST)

The launch team has been polled for "ready" status to resume the countdown. The clocks will resume counting at the end of the hold as scheduled. However, the team was told to delay performing planned activities pending the Range problem.

0459 GMT (11:59 p.m. EST Fri.)

Now half-way through this built-in hold at T-minus 20 minutes. Launch team and management polls will be coming up shortly. Once the countdown resumes, clocks will tick down to the T-minus 4 minute mark where a 10-minute hold is planned.

0452 GMT (11:52 p.m. EST Fri.)

It appears the Eastern Range is working a problem. We're awaiting further details.

0449 GMT (11:49 p.m. EST Fri.)

T-minus 20 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the 20-minute built-in hold. This pause is designed to give the launch team a chance to work any problems or catch up on activities that might be running behind schedule. Engineers will also have time to examine all the data from the just-completed steering tests.

The launch weather officer reports that the ground winds at pad 17B have been increasing over the past half hour. A one-time peak of 24 knots was measured a short time ago. Winds are currently in the mid-to-upper teens. The launch limit is 25 knots.

If the winds reach 25 knots in the final four minutes of the countdown, the weather officer will call a hold. He said there is a 1-in-10 chance of such a hold.

The weather aircraft is examining the two cloud decks overhead. The clouds appear thin and not a problem for launch.

0446 GMT (11:46 p.m. EST Fri.)

The first stage steering checks are finished. Coming up on the T-minus 20 minute hold.

0441 GMT (11:41 p.m. EST Fri.)

The second stage engine slews have been completed.

0439 GMT (11:39 p.m. EST Fri.)

The launch team is beginning the "slew" or steering checks of the first and second stage engines. These are gimbal tests of the nozzles on the first stage main engine and twin vernier engines and second stage engine to ensure the rocket will be able to steer itself during launch.

0434 GMT (11:34 p.m. EST Fri.)

Coming up in about five minutes, engine steering tests will be conducted on the Delta 2 launch vehicle.

0421 GMT (11:21 p.m. EST Fri.)

Loading of the Delta 2 rocket's first stage liquid oxygen tank was completed at 11:20:46 p.m. EST. The operation took 25 minutes and 25 seconds tonight. The tank will be replenished through the countdown to replace the super-cold liquid oxygen that naturally boils away.

The rocket is now fully fueled for launch. The vehicle's first stage was successfully loaded with RP-1 kerosene fuel along with the liquid oxygen over the past hour. The second stage was filled with its storable nitrogen tetroxide and Aerozine 50 fuels a few days ago. The nine strap-on booster rockets and third stage are solid-propellant.

0415 GMT (11:15 p.m. EST Fri.)

Now passing the 20-minute mark of this approximate 25-minute cryogenic tanking process for the Delta rocket's first stage.

Once the liquid oxygen tank reaches the 95 percent full level, the "rapid load" valve will be closed and the slower "fine load" phase will continue to fill the tank.

0409 GMT (11:09 p.m. EST Fri.)

The countdown is entering the final 90 minutes to launch.

0405 GMT (11:05 p.m. EST Fri.)

Now 10 minutes into liquid oxygen loading. The bottom of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket is icing over as the super-cold liquid oxygen continues to flow into the first stage.

0355 GMT (10:55 p.m. EST Fri.)

Super-cold liquid oxygen is beginning to flow into the first stage of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket as the countdown continues for tonight's 12:39 a.m. EST launch.

The liquid oxygen, chilled to Minus-298 degrees F, is being pumped from a storage tank at pad 17B, through plumbing and into the bottom of the rocket. The LOX and the RP-1 kerosene fuel -- loaded aboard the vehicle in the past hour -- will be consumed by the first stage main engine.

0349 GMT (10:49 p.m. EST Fri.)

The launch team has received approval to begin preps for loading the first stage liquid oxygen tank.

0344 GMT (10:44 p.m. EST Fri.)

The launch team has completed work to turn on and configure the Delta's onboard guidance computer -- called the Redundant Inertial Flight Control Assembly, or RIFCA.

0340 GMT (10:40 p.m. EST Fri.)

The launch weather officer has completed his briefing to the management team in advance of loading liquid oxygen into the Delta 2 rocket's first stage. All conditions are acceptable at this time and there's a 90 percent chance of favorable weather during tonight's launch window extending from 12:39 to 1:07 a.m. EST. Thick clouds and gusty ground winds are the two minor worries.

Two layers of clouds are over Central Florida around 5,000 and 23,000 feet. Neither appear to be too thick for the rocket to safely fly through. However, the weather reconnaissance aircraft will be going up in the next hour to verify the conditions are suitable for launch.

There is no rain on the radar, and ground winds at the launch pad are steady between 10 and 15 knots from the northwest. Weather towers around the Titan pad on the north end of Cape Canaveral are measuring winds upwards of 20 knots. So that is something to be monitored. High-altitude winds are a bit strong tonight at 90 knots with the jet stream overhead.

For the 24-hour delay forecast, should the launch be postponed for some reason, calls for near-ideal conditions.

0322 GMT (10:22 p.m. EST Fri.)

The first stage fuel tank of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket has been fully loaded for tonight's planned 12:39 a.m. EST launch. The tank was filled with a highly refined kerosene, called RP-1, during a 19-minute, 5-second process that concluded at 10:22:37 p.m. EST.

The next major task in the count will be loading super-cold cryogenic liquid oxygen into the first stage starting just before 11 p.m.

0320 GMT (10:20 p.m. EST Fri.)

Rapid-loading of the RP-1 tank has concluded as 9,900 gallons have been pumped into the rocket. Fine load is continuing.

0319 GMT (10:19 p.m. EST Fri.)

The launch team has computed that the full load for the first stage fuel tank is 10,077 gallons.

Once the tank is filled to 98 percent or 9,880 gallons, the "rapid load" valve will be closed and the slower "fine load" phase will continue to top off the tank.

0314 GMT (10:14 p.m. EST Fri.)

Just past half-way in this 20-minute process to load the rocket's first stage with kerosene fuel. Over 6,000 gallons are aboard the vehicle already.

0308 GMT (10:08 p.m. EST Fri.)

Some 3,000 gallons have been loaded in this first five minutes of fueling.

The propellant will be used along with liquid oxygen -- to be pumped into the rocket a little later -- by the first stage Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine and twin vernier steering thrusters during the initial four-and-a-half minutes of flight.

0303 GMT (10:03 p.m. EST Fri.)

Fueling of the Delta 2 rocket's first stage has begun for tonight's launch. About 10,000 gallons of a highly refined kerosene propellant, called RP-1, are being pumped into the base of the rocket from a storage tank at pad 17B.

0259 GMT (9:59 p.m. EST Fri.)

Preparations for loading the Delta 2 rocket's first stage RP-1 fuel tank is beginning. After verifying valves, sensors, flow meters and equipment are ready, the highly-refined kerosene fuel will start flowing into the vehicle a few minutes from now.

The tank was filled during yesterday's countdown. But after the launch postponement, it was drained as part of normal scrub turnaround activities.

0241 GMT (9:41 p.m. EST Fri.)

Activation of the rocket's guidance system is starting.

0239 GMT (9:39 p.m. EST Fri.)

T-minus 150 minutes and counting. The Terminal Countdown is now underway for this second attempt to launch the Delta 2 rocket and Global Positioning System 2R-13 satellite. The next three hours will be spent fueling the rocket, activating systems and performing final testing before liftoff at 12:39 a.m. EST (0539 GMT) from pad 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The Complex 17B area is verified cleared of workers. A warning horn will be sounded three times at the seaside complex as a precaution to alert any remaining personnel in the vicinity that they should leave immediately.

The pad clear status will allow the start of hazardous operations such as the pressurization of helium and nitrogen storage tanks inside the rocket's first and second stages, along with the second stage fuel and oxidizer tanks.

The countdown currently stands at T-minus 150 minutes. However, there are a pair of holds -- totaling 30 minutes in duration -- planned at T-minus 20 minutes and T-minus 4 minutes.

0232 GMT (9:32 p.m. EST Fri.)

The weather forecast has been updated to a 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions tonight. That is a 10 percent improvement over earlier forecasts.

0231 GMT (9:31 p.m. EST Fri.)

The hazard area around launch pad 17B has been cleared of all personnel and the pre-pressurization of helium and nitrogen systems on the second stage is complete.

0230 GMT (9:30 p.m. EST Fri.)

The launch team members have been polled to ensure all stations are manned and ready to begin Terminal Count as planned at the end of this hold.

0139 GMT (8:39 p.m. EST Fri.)

T-minus 150 minutes and holding. Clocks are entering a planned 60-minute built-in hold in the countdown. Holds are scheduled into the count to give workers a chance to catch up on any activities that may be running behind.

Over the next hour, all launch team members and management officials will be seated at their consoles. A series of polls will be conducted to verify everyone is ready tor enter Terminal Count at end of the built-in hold.

Liftoff of the Delta 2 rocket remains scheduled for 12:39 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

0030 GMT (7:30 p.m. EST Fri.)

The mobile service tower rollback occurred just before sunset today. We have posted a gallery of more spectacular pictures taken by Boeing photographer Carleton Bailie as the tower moved away from the Delta 2 rocket. See the pictures here.

And if you missed yesterday's tower retraction, here is the gallery from the first launch attempt.

Read our earlier status center coverage.