BY JUSTIN RAY

Follow the preparations to the maiden launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 direct-to-home TV broadcasting satellite. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

1856 GMT (2:56 p.m. EDT)

The launch team has been polled and all parties reported a "go" for cryogenic fueling operations this afternoon except for safety. Clearing of the blast danger area is not yet completed but will be very shortly. The three-step tanking procedure is expected to start around 3:40 p.m.

The Atlas liquid oxygen tank is the largest tank to be filled today and will be loaded first per the schedule, followed by the liquid oxygen for the Centaur upper stage and lastly the hydrogen for the Centaur. The propellant for the first stage -- the RP-1 kerosene -- was loaded aboard the rocket yesterday after rollout to the launch pad. The kerosene is considered storable and can be loaded into the rocket ahead of time. However, the cryogenics are chilled to several hundred degrees below zero and naturally boil away. Therefore they have be loaded rather close to launch.

1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)

Now half-way through this 30-minute built-in hold. A "ready report" poll of the launch team to ensure everyone is "go" to start cryogenic tanking is scheduled to occur in five minutes.

1835 GMT (2:35 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 170 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the scheduled half-hour pause. Clocks are slated to resume at 3:05 p.m. EDT. Efforts to clear the pad of all workers before the hazardous operations of loading the cryogenic fuels into the rocket is nearing completion.

Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia just gave managers a full briefing on current conditions and the launch time forecast. All weather rules are currently "go" for launch and expected to remain that way.

Sardonia is keeping with a 70 percent chance of launching today with the continued concern with anvil clouds and coastal showers. But given the duration of the launch window -- 89 minutes -- there should be plenty of time for improvement in the weather, he said.

1815 GMT (2:15 p.m. EDT)

Countdown clocks are now passing the T-minus 190 minute mark. The count will enter a planned 30-minute hold at 2:35 p.m. at T-minus 170 minutes. A final hold is scheduled for 10 minutes at T-minus 4 minutes.

The crane work has been completed at the pad and it was moved away. Final securing of the complex is underway now before the pad is cleared of all workers in advance of fueling operations this afternoon.

Liftoff remains on schedule for 6:05 p.m. EDT.

1735 GMT (1:35 p.m. EDT)

The countdown rolls on at Cape Canaveral for liftoff at 6:05 p.m. EDT. A crane has been dispatched to the pad so workers can retrieve an object from the umbilical mast of the mobile launch platform. At this point, the issue has not impacted the overall countdown.

Technicians have recently completed the internal battery checks and performed the C-band tracking test with the Range.

At the pre-launch news conference held a couple hours ago, Mark Albrecht, president of International Launch Services, expressed the importance riding on today's maiden flight of Atlas.

"Obviously, the launch of the first Atlas 5 tonight is of great significance to ILS because it adds incredible capability to our launch service offerings for both the government and commercial customers in terms of incredible flexibility, capability, reliability. It's a perfect complement to our Proton launch vehicle and we're very, very happy to have it join the fleet. It will give us a great new competitive edge in the marketplace.

"For Lockheed Martin, obviously this is a great day of significance. It is a continuation of the incredible heritage in space and launch, going back to the introduction of the Atlas in the 1950s. And you will remember that Atlas was the workhorse of the Mercury program, lifting John Glenn off the planet right down the road from where we are going to be launching tonight.

"This is of course a significant launch for our customer, Eutelsat. This will be, and we note with great pride, the sixth Atlas launch for Eutelsat, the fifth Atlas variant Eutelsat has flown and the third first-of-a-kind Atlas that Eutelsat has been a partner and a customer with us.

"This is a great day of significance to the United States Air Force. This represents really the culmination of years of commitment from the United States Air Force for next generation launch vehicles to meet our national security needs. This EELV program is the culmination of years of commitment ot space excellence. Assured access to space. Atlas 5 will guarantee that the United States government, the United States Air Force has assured access to space for decades in the future and it will continue space leadership in the United States.

"So this is an enormously significant day for lots and lots of people. We're very proud to be part of it."

ILS is the marketer of Atlas and Russian Proton rockets. In addition to today's Atlas 5, a Proton rocket is scheduled for blastoff at 1:15 a.m. EDT (0515 GMT) Thursday from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan carrying the EchoStar 8 spacecraft.

1620 GMT (12:20 p.m. EDT)

We are now inside the final six hours of the countdown for the inaugural launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5. The weather outlook looks good and the launch team is not working any issues.

"We are go for launch!" said Atlas 5 launch director Adrian Laffitte at a pre-launch news conference.

Lift off remains scheduled for 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 GMT this evening.

"The team has worked their hearts out to get where we are today." Laffitte said.

1250 GMT (8:50 a.m. EDT)

The countdown is underway at Cape Canaveral for today's launch of Atlas 5. The weather forecast remains favorable with a 70 percent chance of acceptable conditions during launch window of 6:05 to 7:34 p.m. EDT. See the latest forecast here.

We'll post a full update following the pre-launch news conference, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2002

A day that has been years and over $1.5 billion in the making has finally arrived. Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket is poised for its inaugural liftoff at 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 GMT) today from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Developed as part of the government's call for an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, the rocket is Lockheed Martin's future for lofting satellite cargos into space for the next two decades.

Maiden flights always come with more drama but this launch has an extra level of intensity. The rocket industry is over saturated with more vehicles available than payloads, so a successful debut is most important for Atlas 5.

"Birthing a new rocket is always exciting," said John Karas, Lockheed Martin's vice president for Atlas 5 development. "It's more exciting than usual because so much more rests on the success of Atlas 5 in relation to the commercial market and the government market."

Countdown clocks will begin ticking at 7:45 a.m. EDT from the T-minus 9-hour, 40-minute mark as the Atlas first stage and Centaur upper stage are powered up for launch day testing and fueling operations. The flight control system final preps are slated to start at 9:45 a.m., followed by pressurization of the Centaur helium system to 3,000 psig at 10:25 a.m., and a test of the rocket's C-band tracking system with the Eastern Range at 11:25 a.m. The flight control operational test is scheduled for 11:40 a.m.

Meanwhile, Eutelsat's Hot Bird 6 communications satellite atop the rocket is scheduled to be turned on at 9:10 a.m. RF links with the spacecraft will be established around 10:15 a.m.

The early afternoon will be spent conducting internal battery checks at 12:25 p.m., starting the Centaur liquid hydrogen system final preps at 12:45 p.m. and Centaur liquid oxygen final preps at 1:25 p.m. The final alignment of the rocket's guidance computer begins at 1:55 p.m.

The countdown will enter a planned half-hour hold at T-minus 170 minutes at 2:35 p.m. The pause gives the launch team a chance to catch up on any work that might be running behind schedule or address any issues. If there are no significant problems, clocks will resume counting at 3:05 p.m. Attention will then turn to loading the rocket with super-cold cryogenic propellants, starting with liquid oxygen for the first stage at 3:40 p.m., followed by Centaur liquid oxygen around 3:53 p.m. and finally Centaur liquid hydrogen at about 4:48 p.m.

A final built-in hold for the countdown is planned at T-minus 4 minutes and should last for 10 minutes.

The available window in which to launch the rocket today extends 89 minutes from 6:05 to 7:34 p.m. EDT. If the liftoff is scrubbed for some reason, opportunities are available on Thursday from 6:04 to 7:31 p.m. EDT and Friday from 6:04 to 7:28 p.m. EDT.

A pre-launch news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT. We will update this page following the briefing with the latest developments. And we will provide complete live reports throughout the afternoon and evening until Hot Bird 6 is deployed into orbit 31-1/2 minutes after liftoff!

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2002
2350 GMT (7:50 p.m. EDT)

Darkness is falling over Cape Canaveral and the powerful flood lights are coming on to illuminate the Atlas 5 on the launch pad. Liftoff is less than 24 hours away at 6:05 p.m. EDT.

Mike Jacobs, the Atlas 5 launch conductor, says a small team will remain in position overnight to keep tabs on weather conditions and health of the vehicle.

"We will have a 24-hour watch on weather. We have an engineering tank pressure control personnel in launch control, monitoring the Centaur tank pressures. We will also have a launch control center monitor, who basically is the interface for any problems that come up, notifications and general status. So it will be a minimum crew here at night."

If troublesome weather appears on the horizon, the engineers can increase the pressure in the rocket to make it more structurally sound, thereby allowing Atlas 5 to withstand higher winds.

Shuttle buses to transport launch team members to Complex 41 will begin at 6:35 a.m. EDT tomorrow. The countdown will start at 7:45 a.m.

2130 GMT (5:30 p.m. EDT)

We have assembled a photo gallery of images taken by Spaceflight Now's Steven Young and Lockheed Martin photographers during today's rollout of the Atlas 5 rocket to the launch pad. Enter the gallery here.

2030 GMT (4:30 p.m. EDT)

Work is continuing at Complex 41 to ready the Atlas 5 rocket for blastoff tomorrow. Activities at the pad, including the loading of RP-1 fuel into the vehicle, were moved up a bit today to beat the onset of afternoon thunderstorms.

1337 GMT (9:37 a.m. EDT)

With 32-1/2 hours left until Lockheed Martin's next-generation Atlas 5 sets sail on its maiden voyage, the rocket has arrived on the pad at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41. The booster was transported 1,800 feet from the building where it was put together to the launch pad for final testing and fueling.

Liftoff remains scheduled for 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 GMT) Wednesday to deliver the European Hot Bird 6 TV broadcasting satellite into orbit.

Over the next hour or so, the two mobile trailers connected to the launching platform, which were part of the convoy during this morning's rollout, will be hooked up to power and communications systems at the pad. These trailers provide conditioned air to the payload and communications with the rocket during the roll and throughout the countdown. They are protected from the blast of launch by a concrete structure on the north-side of the platform.

Around noon today, the French-built Hot Bird 6 will be powered up and technicians will perform a series of RF and link checks. Then the Atlas first stage and Centaur upper stage are scheduled to be powered as a guidance system test begins.

A weather briefing for Lockheed Martin managers is expected after 2 p.m. in advance of loading RP-1 fuel, a highly-refined kerosene propellant into the first stage. A poll of the launch team to get a "go" for fueling is slated for about 3:30 p.m., with the actual tanking expected to commence around 4 p.m.

The Complex 41 hazard area around the pad will be cleared of all workers later in the afternoon so the rocket's RP-1 tank can be pressurized for a test around 5:30 p.m. After the pressure check is finished, the tank will be vented and a team will conduct an inspection before the pad is re-opened completely. Removal of the fueling nozzle, used in the loading, will be the last noteworthy event of the day around 6:30 p.m.

The vehicle, spacecraft and pad will be secured for the night. A small team of engineers will be on station round-the-clock along with meteorologists to monitor systems and any threat from the weather.

The launch countdown is scheduled to begin at 7:45 a.m. EDT tomorrow.

1318 GMT (9:18 a.m. EDT)

The Atlas 5 rocket is en route to the launch pad!

Sitting atop the 1.4-million pound mobile launching platform, the 191-foot tall rocket is just emerging from the doorway of Lockheed Martin's new Vertical Integration Facility at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Complex 41. The rollout to the pad should take around a half-hour.

For more detail on this "clean pad" concept of assembling the rocket in a building and rolling out to the open-air pad the day before launch, see our complete story.

1257 GMT (8:57 a.m. EDT)

The rollout has not yet started. But the press has gathered at Complex 41 to document this morning's critical event. We'll keep you posted on when the move occurs.

In the meantime, the latest weather forecast has been issued. See it here.

0001 GMT (8:01 p.m. EDT Mon.)

Following the launch readiness review meeting Monday, Lockheed Martin reports all systems are "go" for the maiden voyage of the Atlas 5 rocket Wednesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Workers will roll the rocket from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad Tuesday morning.

Activities for the transport start at 6 a.m. EDT when the ground crews report for duty at Complex 41. At 6:40 a.m., the mobile environmental control system for the launcher is secured and the pad's version of the system is prepared to support the rocket after rollout. At 7 a.m. the Atlas 5's pneumatic, propulsion and fuel storage tank preps are started.

A crucial weather briefing by Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia is slated for 8:30 a.m., providing Lockheed Martin managers with the forecast for the 33 hours the rocket will be exposed to the elements on the launch pad from rollout through liftoff.

A readiness poll will be conducted at 8:43 a.m. for a final "go" to roll. The undercarriage jacks are raised at 8:45 a.m. With no technical problems reported and acceptable weather, the mobile launcher platform should begin the 1,800-foot journey to the pad at 8:55 a.m. EDT.

The rollout is expected to take about a half-hour, followed by securing the platform to the pad and making the numerous power, communications, fuel line and other umbilical connections through mid-morning.

The other key milestone Tuesday is the scheduled loading of RP-1 kerosene fuel into the first stage starting at 3:20 p.m.

Meteorologists are calling for a 70 percent chance of good weather during Wednesday's launch window from 6:05 and 7:34 p.m. EDT. See the latest forecast and listing of the weather rules here.

Watch this page for live updates Tuesday morning during the rollout of Atlas 5! And we will provide comprehensive live reports right here throughout the countdown and launch Wednesday.

MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2002

As Lockheed Martin prepares to wheel its debut Atlas 5 rocket from the protective confines of the vehicle assembly building to the open-air launch pad on Tuesday morning, the Cape Canaveral weather team has the challenging job of forecasting the conditions the vehicle will face during its day-and-a-half wait before blastoff. Read our full story.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2002

Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia is still calling for a 70 percent chance of good conditions for liftoff. See the updated forecast.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2002

In his forecast issued Saturday, Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia is calling for generally favorable conditions for Thursday's liftoff of Lockheed Martin's inaugural Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral. See the forecast.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2002

It won't be the fastest Atlas rocket at liftoff but next week's inaugural Atlas 5 will be the largest and mightiest ever flown by Lockheed Martin. Liftoff remains on schedule for Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Read our preview of the events to occur during the launch: full story.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2002

The Atlas 5 rocket is the future but its siblings -- the Atlas 2 and 3 vehicles -- won't be riding off into the sunset quite yet. With a few more years of heritage Atlas rockets launching from Cape Canaveral's Complex 36, Lockheed Martin has opted to combine those operations with Atlas 5 at Complex 41, forming one team of over 250 workers. Read our full story.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2002

When the first Atlas 5 rocket vaults skyward a week from today, it will represent the pinnacle of evolution for Lockheed Martin's family of expendable launchers. Born of the U.S. Air Force's competition to develop next-generation rockets, the Atlas 5 is expected to be around through 2020, providing dependable and more affordable access to space. Read our full story.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2002

A launch complex that has been around for 40 years is now one of the most modern on the planet after undergoing an overhaul to become the home of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 for the new millennium. Read our full story.

MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 2002

A new era in American space rocketry dawns next week as the Atlas 5 soars on its maiden voyage, carrying with it Lockheed Martin's future in the commercial satellite launch industry and the U.S. military's hopes for reliable access to the final frontier. Read our full story.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2002

The European Hot Bird 6 TV broadcasting satellite was hauled from a processing facility to Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 vehicle assembly building early today. Already enclosed within the rocket's nose cone, the spacecraft was then hoisted atop the Atlas 5 and attached to the Centaur upper stage. Launch remains set for August 21. Read our full story.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2002

As Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket was passing a comprehensive engineering review this week, spacecraft teams were getting set to resume final pre-flight preparations on the French-built Hot Bird 6 satellite to be carried into space during the launcher's maiden voyage on August 21. Read our full story.

FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2002

Launch of the first Atlas 5 rocket is being postponed after technicians ran into delays readying the mission's commercial satellite cargo for flight. A new launch date has not been set, but officials remain optimistic liftoff will occur sometime in August. Read our full story.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2002

Lockheed Martin's next-generation Atlas 5 rocket cleared its last major launch pad test this week, putting the vehicle on course to begin final preparations for blastoff on the much-anticipated inaugural voyage August 12. Read our full story.

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2002
2345 GMT (7:45 p.m. EDT)

The countdown rehearsal has been completed for today, with the launch team now working to drain the cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen from the Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41. The rocket is slated to be rolled back to the Vertical Integration Facility building Wednesday afternoon. We'll post a complete wrap up story on this countdown test and details from Lockheed Martin officials tomorrow evening.

2045 GMT (4:45 p.m. EDT)

Technicians in the Atlas 5 Spaceflight Operations Center launch control room are guiding today's practice countdown into the final hour. Earlier, activities got a bit behind schedule, pushing the simulated liftoff time to 5:45 p.m. EDT.

The Atlas first stage and Centaur liquid oxygen tanks have been completely filled, and the chilldown thermal conditioning of liquid hydrogen system is underway in preparation of pumping that super-cold fuel into the Centaur today.

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2002

Lockheed Martin's first Atlas 5 rocket was rolled back to the launch pad Monday for the third and final countdown dress rehearsal. The launch team will fully fuel the rocket today to practice procedures that will be used during the real countdown on August 12.

Riding atop its mobile launching platform, the rocket was transported 1,800 feet from the Vertical Integration Facility to the open-air launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Complex 41.

Once at the pad, the platform was connected to ground systems as a series of tests got underway. Workers were also expected to load RP-1 kerosene propellant into the first stage on Monday.

The loading of super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen will occur this afternoon. Clocks are counting down to a simulated launch time of 4:30 p.m. EDT.

Once the countdown is completed, the cryogenics will be offloaded this evening, followed by RP-1 on Wednesday.

The rocket is scheduled to be rolled back to the Vertical Integration Facility between 2:45 and 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday to conclude the dress rehearsal.

SUNDAY, JULY 7, 2002

The debut launch of Lockheed Martin's next-generation Atlas 5 rocket has been officially rescheduled for August 12 following the successful completion of some additional umbilical retraction tests. Read our full story.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2002

The inaugural launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket has been pushed back a week -- to no earlier than August 6 -- so engineers can re-run a series of tests. Read our full story.

SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2002

Lockheed Martin's new Atlas 5 rocket has passed another key milestone on the road to its maiden voyage this July with the completion of a full launch day simulation. Meanwhile, officials are looking to delay the targeted July 8 launch date to build padding into the pre-flight schedule. Read our full story.

FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2002
2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)

The countdown exercise has been wrapped up and draining of the super-cold cryogenics from the rocket is underway. Plans call for the rocket to be rolled off the pad tomorrow afternoon.

We'll have a full wrap-up story on this countdown dress rehearsal over the weekend.

1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)

Lockheed Martin reports liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen has been loaded aboard the Atlas 5 rocket as the countdown enters the final minutes for today's dress rehearsal.

1725 GMT (1:25 p.m. EDT)

Another countdown is underway at Cape Canaveral this afternoon to practice fueling and readying Lockheed Martin's new Atlas 5 rocket for liftoff. Officials report loading of liquid oxygen is now starting at Complex 41.

THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2002

Lockheed Martin says a software glitch was the problem that stopped liquid hydrogen loading into the Atlas 5 rocket's Centaur upper stage yesterday afternoon. Engineers are tweaking the parameters of the software to fix the problem.

Officials have decided to repeat the full countdown dress rehearsal on Friday. Countdown clocks are scheduled to reach T-0 at 3 p.m. EDT.

Assuming all goes well, the rocket will be rolled back to Vertical Integration Facility around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2002
2225 GMT (6:25 p.m. EDT)

A computer-related problem was encountered as the Centaur upper stage was being filled late this afternoon. Given the late hour of the day, officials have decided to secure the vehicle for the night and resume the countdown rehearsal on Thursday morning. Rollback of the Atlas 5 to its vertical hangar is now expected on Friday.

2045 GMT (4:45 p.m. EDT)

The Lockheed Martin launch team is continuing with its countdown dress rehearsal for the first Atlas 5 mission at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 today. Officials report the pumping of liquid oxygen into the rocket has been completed and preparations to load liquid hydrogen are now underway.

1515 GMT (11:15 a.m. EDT)

The Atlas 5 rocket is on the pad and the countdown is underway today for a full-up rehearsal of launch day activities.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2002

Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket will be rolled back to the launch pad at Cape Canaveral today for the last full countdown simulation before the planned July 8 inaugural flight.

The drill essentially will run on the launch day timeline as the rocket is moved to the pad around 4 a.m. EDT and fully fueled later in the afternoon. Clocks will tick down to T-0 seconds at 5 p.m. EDT.

Known as a Wet Dress Rehearsal, or WDR, this is the second Atlas 5 countdown test performed as a pathfinder exercise to practice transporting the rocket to the pad, loading propellants and conducting mock launch days for the control team.

Lockheed Martin originally intended to run three WDRs in advance of this first Atlas 5 launch. However, the first rehearsal in March was so successful that officials opted to do just two.

The tests give engineers the chance to uncover any problems or concerns so they can be resolved before the real launch day arrives.

The Atlas 5 is designed to be assembled atop a 1.5-million pound mobile launch platform in the new Vertical Integration Facility at Complex 41. It is then transported 1,800 feet to the open-air pad about 12 hours before liftoff time.

Following today's countdown rehearsal, the rocket will be safed and its cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants drained. The RP-1 kerosene fuel for the first stage will be drained on Thursday morning.

Plans call for the rocket to be rolled back to the Vertical Integration Facility around 2 p.m. on Thursday.

Watch this page for updates on the critical rehearsal.

SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2002

The Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket is one step closer to its summertime inaugural launch following the successful countdown rehearsal and fueling tests conducted at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 last week. Read full story.

TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2002

Technical issues on Tuesday forced Lockheed Martin officials to postpone the first countdown dress rehearsal for its new Atlas 5 rocket until Wednesday. Read full story.

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2002

Lockheed Martin's first Atlas 5 rocket was rolled out to its Cape Canaveral launch pad Monday for fueling tests and a crucial countdown dress rehearsal. Read full story.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2002

The first Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket, set for liftoff May 9, will be moved from its checkout facility to the new assembly building at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 next week to be hoisted atop a mobile launching platform and readied for a series of demonstration tests over the next couple of months. Read full story.