Spaceflight Now: Features

Video Vault: Rocketcams
Updated: July 16, 2000

Cameras mounted to a variety of rockets are bringing the drama of space launches to life. Spaceflight Now presents some of the stunning video footage from these cameras. This compilation includes the predawn launch of a Delta 2 rocket, the maiden flight of the Atlas 3A, the release of Globalstar satellites from a Delta 2 and the spectacular ascent of a Delta 2 carrying NASA's Stardust space probe.

Delta 2 blasts into the night with GPS 2R-5
Predawn launch
A video camera mounted on the exterior of the Boeing Delta 2 rocket's second stage shows the view of ignition and liftoff from Cape Canaveral on July 16.
  PLAY (198k, 32sec QuickTime file)

Ground solids off
Onboard camera shows the air-lit solid rocket boosters igniting and the six spent ground-started motors being jettisoned.
  PLAY (145k, 23sec QuickTime file)
     
Air-lit solids separate
Onboard camera shows the spent air-lit solid rocket boosters being jettisoned and the first stage main engine still firing.
  PLAY (178k, 29sec QuickTime file)

Stages split
Onboard video camera shows the spent first stage separating, second stage engine start and fairing jettison.
  PLAY (222k, 36sec QuickTime file)
     
Russian-powered Atlas 3 debuts
Inaugural liftoff
The inaugural Lockheed Martin Atlas 3A rocket launches from Cape Canaveral with the Eutelsat W4 satellite.
  PLAY (317k, 36sec QuickTime file)

Up, up and away
A video camera mounted to the side of the Lockheed Martin Atlas 3A rocket shows the successful liftoff from Cape Canaveral's pad 36B.
  PLAY (775k, 1min 49sec QuickTime file)
     
External view of separation
The Atlas booster stage separates and the payload fairing is jettisoned as seen by a video camera mounted to the side of rocket.
  PLAY (366k, 52sec QuickTime file)

Internal view of separation
A camera attached to the Centaur upper stage shows the Atlas booster stage being released and ignition of the RL-10 engine.
  PLAY (534k, 1min 00sec QuickTime file)
     
Delta 2 launches Globalstar satellites
First pair deployed
A video camera mounted on the Boeing Delta 2 rocket shows the top Globalstar spacecraft being deployed.
  PLAY (208k, 21sec QuickTime file)

Second pair released
The bottom Globalstar spacecraft is released from the Boeing Delta 2 rocket as seen by onboard camera.
  PLAY (173k, 17sec QuickTime file)
     
NASA probe bound for comet rendezvous
Solids separate
The video camera mounted to a Boeing Delta 2 rocket shows the ground-lit solid rocket boosters being jettisoned with Cape Canaveral as backdrop.
  PLAY (250k, 26sec QuickTime file)

Rocket staging
The spent first stage is jettisoned and the second stage engine ignites aboard the Delta 2 rocket. The payload fairing is also seen falling back to Earth.
  PLAY (518k, 57sec QuickTime file)
     
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