| T-0:00:02.7 |
Engine Start |
| The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch. |
|
| T+0:00:01.1 |
Liftoff |
| The Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-085, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. |
|
T+00:17.3 |
Begin Pitch/Roll/Yaw Maneuver |
| The 188-foot-tall Atlas 5 begins to maneuver itself on the proper trajectory east of Complex 41 on an azimuth of 94 degrees. |
|
T+01:30.9 |
Max-Q |
| The Atlas 5 rocket passes the region of flight known as maximum dynamic pressure, or Max-Q. |
|
| T+0:04:02 |
Main Engine Cutoff |
| The RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage. |
|
| T+0:04:08 |
Stage Separation |
| The Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition. |
|
| T+0:04:18 |
Centaur Ignition 1 |
| The Centaur RL10 engine ignites for the longer of the two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and MAVEN spacecraft into a parking orbit. |
|
| T+0:04:26 |
Nose Cone Jettison |
| The payload fairing that protected the MAVEN spacecraft during the climb through the atmosphere is no longer needed and is separated. |
|
| T+0:13:48 |
Centaur Cutoff 1 |
| The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned parking orbit. The vehicle enters a lengthy coast period lasting nearly 28 minutes before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn. |
|
| T+0:41:24 |
Centaur Ignition 2 |
| The Centaur re-ignites to propel the payload into the desired Earth escape trajectory from the parking achieved earlier in the launch sequence. |
|
| T+0:46:53 |
Centaur Cutoff 2 |
| At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have delivered the MAVEN spacecraft on a hyperbolic escape trajectory toward Mars. |
| T+0:52:42 |
Spacecraft Separation |
| NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft is released from the Centaur upper stage to complete the AV-038 launch. |
