Spaceflight Now


STS-112 Ascent Timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Updated: October 6, 2002

STS-112


Event Descriptions

T+0:00 Liftoff
The twin solid rocket boosters are ignited and space shuttle Atlantis launches from pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, beginning the 111st shuttle mission and 15th to the International Space Station.
T+0:11 Start roll maneuver
Atlantis begins a programmed roll maneuver to achieve a northeasterly track from KSC, heading toward a 51.6 degree inclination to the equator.
T+0:18 End roll
The shuttle completes the programmed roll maneuver and is now positioned heads down, wings level.
T+0:33 Start throttle down
The three liquid-fueled main engines are throttled down to ease the vehicle's flight through the dense lower atmosphere.
T+0:49 Throttle up
Atlantis' main engines begin throttling back up to about full thrust for the continued trek to space.
T+1:01 Max-Q
The shuttle passes through the area of maximum aerodynamic pressure that is experienced during its climb to orbit.
T+2:03 SRB staging
Having consumed all their propellant, the solid rocket boosters are jettisoned from the attachment points on the external fuel tank. The boosters parachute into the Atlantic Ocean for recovery and reuse.
T+3:54 Negative return
Atlantis is now too far downrange and traveling too fast to make an emergency Return-to-Launch-Site abort landing at Kennedy Space Center. A problem after this point during flight requiring an abort would lead to a Trans-Atlantic Abort Landing, Abort-to-Orbit or Abort-Once-Around.
T+5:47 Rolls to heads up
A programmed maneuver rolls Atlantis to a heads up position, placing the shuttle atop the external tank. This is done to improve communications between the shuttle and NASA's orbiting Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System.
T+8:24 MECO command
Atlantis' three main engines are shut down. The external fuel tank is jettisoned moments later. An upcoming firing at about T+45 minutes by the OMS engines will boost the shuttle from its current sub-orbital trajectory to a safe altitude as the chase begins to rendezvous with the International Space Station.

Soviet Space
For the first time ever available in the West. Rocket & Space Corporation Energia: a complete pictorial history of the Soviet/Russian Space Program from 1946 to the present day all in full color. Available from our store.
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Viking patch
This embroidered mission patch celebrates NASA's Viking Project which reached the Red Planet in 1976.
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Apollo 7 DVD
For 11 days the crew of Apollo 7 fought colds while they put the Apollo spacecraft through a workout, establishing confidence in the machine what would lead directly to the bold decision to send Apollo 8 to the moon just 2 months later.
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Gemini 12
Gemini 12: The NASA Mission Reports covers the voyage of James Lovell and Buzz Aldrin that capped the Gemini program's efforts to prove the technologies and techniques that would be needed for the Apollo Moon landings. Includes CD-ROM.
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Apollo 16
NEW! The latest in Apogee Book's acclaimed NASA Mission Reports series features the Apollo 16 expedition to the lunar highland area of Descartes. Includes CD-ROM.
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Gemini 7
Gemini 7: The NASA Mission Reports covers this 14-day mission by Borman and Lovell as they demonstrated some of the more essential facts of space flight. Includes CD-ROM.
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Apollo patches
The Apollo Patch Collection: Includes all 12 Apollo mission patches plus the Apollo Program Patch. Save over 20% off the Individual price.
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Mars Rover mission patch
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Apollo 9 DVD
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Columbia Report
The official accident investigation report into the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven. Includes CD-ROM.
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Current Shuttle Mission Patch
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.
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Ares 1-X Patch
The official embroidered patch for the Ares 1-X rocket test flight, is available for purchase.
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Apollo Collage
This beautiful one piece set features the Apollo program emblem surrounded by the individual mission logos.
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Project Orion
The Orion crew exploration vehicle is NASA's first new human spacecraft developed since the space shuttle a quarter-century earlier. The capsule is one of the key elements of returning astronauts to the Moon.
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Fallen Heroes Patch Collection
The official patches from Apollo 1, the shuttle Challenger and Columbia crews are available in the store.
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Astronaut patch!
STS-112The official astronaut patch for shuttle mission STS-112 to the International Space Station is now available from the Astronomy Now Store. Launch of Atlantis is scheduled for Oct. 2.
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