T-00:00 |
Liftoff |
After the rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines pass an automated health check, the Falcon 9 is released from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. |
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T+01:10 |
Mach 1 |
The Falcon 9 rocket passes the speed of sound. The first stage's nine Merlin 1D engines produce 1.3 million pounds of thrust at sea level, ramping up to 1.5 million pounds of thrust in vacuum. |
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T+01:18 |
Max Q |
The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure. |
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T+02:56 |
MECO |
Moments after two of the Falcon 9's first stage engines shut down, the remaining seven Merlin 1D engines cut off at an altitude of about 90 kilometers, or 56 miles. |
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T+03:00 |
Stage 1 Separation |
The Falcon 9's first stage separates from the second stage four seconds after MECO. |
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T+03:08 |
Stage 2 Ignition |
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine ignites for an approximately 5-minute, 33-second burn to inject the Thaicom 6 satellite into a parking orbit. |
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T+03:XX |
Fairing Jettison |
The 5.2-meter (17.1-foot) diameter payload fairing jettisons once the Falcon 9 rocket ascends through the dense lower atmosphere. The 43-foot-tall fairing is made of two clamshell-like halves composed of carbon fiber with an aluminum honeycomb core. |
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T+08:41 |
SECO 1 |
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down after reaching orbit. |
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T+26:XX |
Stage 2 Restart |
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine re-ignites for a brief burn lasting just over one minute to inject AsiaSat 8 into the planned geosynchronous transfer orbit. SpaceX has not disclosed the exact time of second stage restart. |
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T+27:XX |
SECO 2 |
The second stage Merlin 1D vacuum engine shuts down. The upper stage next re-orients itself to deployment of the AsiaSat 8 payload. SpaceX has not disclosed the exact time of second stage shutdown. |
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T+32:XX |
AsiaSat Separation |
The AsiaSat 8 broadcasting satellite is deployed from the Falcon 9 second stage in an orbit with a perigee of 115 miles, an apogee of 22,236 miles (185 km x 35,786 km) with an inclination of 23.4 degrees. AsiaSat expects to acquire radio signals from the satellite moments after separation. |
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