Post by toweringniceguy on Sept 27, 2006 11:38:23 GMT 10
Delta 2 Rocket to Launch GPS Satellite Today
By Justin Ray
posted: 25 September 2006
10:35 am ET
1954 GMT (3:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 64 minutes, 30 seconds. Live data from the third stage is not being received back at Cape Canaveral. So real-time confirmation of spinup, separation and ignition of the third stage is not possible at the moment
1953 GMT (3:53 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 63 minutes, 25 seconds. SECO 2. The second stage has completed its second burn of this launch. In the next minute, tiny thrusters on the side of the rocket will be fired to spin up the vehicle in preparation for jettison of the second stage.
1953 GMT (3:53 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 63 minutes. Confirmation is now being received indicating that the Delta 2 rocket's second stage engine is burning.
1952 GMT (3:52 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 62 minutes, 40 seconds. Guam has acquired the rocket's signal. The station will cover the second stage burn, stage separation, the third stage burn and deployment of the payload.
1951 GMT (3:51 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 61 minutes. Second stage engine restart is about 90 seconds away.
1950 GMT (3:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 60 minutes. The Delta 2 rocket should be soaring within range of the Guam tracking station in the next two minutes.
1935 GMT (3:35 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 45 minutes. The thermal conditioning roll of the rocket will end in about 11 minutes. Ignition of the second stage is up coming in 17 minutes.
1920 GMT (3:20 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 30 minutes. The vehicle just passed out of range from the Ascension Island tracking site in the central Atlantic Ocean. The next station to acquire the rocket's signal will be Guam a half-hour from now.
As this coast phase of the launch continues, you can see a map of the rocket's planned track here.
1916 GMT (3:16 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 26 minutes. We are receiving sighting reports of today's launch from as far away as Fort Lauderdale.
1912 GMT (3:12 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 22 minutes. The rocket is in a one-degree per second rolling motion. This is a normal procedure to keep the thermal conditions even across the vehicle.
1906 GMT (3:06 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 16 minutes. Restart of second stage engine is expected at about T+plus 62 minutes, 29 seconds. The stage will fire for approximately 42 seconds to raise the orbit's high point, or apogee. That will be followed by separation between the second and third stages. The upper stage will burn to inject GPS into the intended transfer orbit. Deployment of the payload to complete the launch is expected at T+plus 68 minutes.
1905 GMT (3:05 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 15 minutes. The rocket has successfully achieved a parking orbit with an apogee of 110 miles, perigee of 94 miles and inclination of 37.5 degrees. That is right on the pre-planned orbit parameters.
1902 GMT (3:02 p.m. EDT)
The official launch time was 2:50:00.024 p.m. EDT.
1900 GMT (3:00 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 10 minutes, 58 seconds. SECO 1. The second stage engine cutoff has occurred, completing the motor's first firing of the day. The Delta 2 rocket with GPS 2R-15 has arrived in a preliminary orbit around Earth following launch today from Cape Canaveral. The vehicle will coast for about 52 minutes before the second stage is re-ignited.
1900 GMT (3:00 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 10 minutes, 20 seconds. The speed has increased to 16,100 mph.
1859 GMT (2:59 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 9 minutes, 30 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket is 97 miles in altitude, 1,260 miles downrange from the launch pad, traveling at 15,400 mph.
1858 GMT (2:58 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 8 minutes, 45 seconds. The second stage engine is still firing, consuming a hydrazine propellant mixture and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. This burn is needed to achieve a parking orbit around Earth.
1857 GMT (2:57 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 7 minutes, 45 seconds. This initial firing of the second stage should last another three minutes.
1856 GMT (2:56 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 6 minutes, 30 seconds. Good chamber pressure reported on the second stage engine. The vehicle is 90 miles in altitude, 800 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 13,800 mph.
1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 5 minutes, 45 seconds. The vehicle is 77 miles in altitude, 530 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 13,100 mph.
1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 5 minutes, 20 seconds. The rocket's nose cone enclosing the spacecraft has been jettisoned.
1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes, 41 seconds. The spent first stage has been jettisoned and the Delta's second stage engine has ignited!
1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes, 26 seconds. MECO. The first stage main engine cutoff is confirmed.
1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes. Coming up on first stage engine cutoff.
1853 GMT (2:53 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The main engine is still firing normally. The rocket is 47 miles in altitude, 203 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 9,100 mph.
1852 GMT (2:52 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The vehicle is 28 miles in altitude, 77 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 5,300 mph.
1852 GMT (2:52 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 2 minutes, 12 seconds. The three air-ignited solid rocket boosters have burned out and separated. The rocket is now flying solely on the power generated by the liquid-fueled first stage main engine.
1851 GMT (2:51 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 45 seconds. The air-lit boosters are burning well.
1851 GMT (2:51 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 15 seconds. All six ground-start solid rocket boosters have burned out of propellant and separated from the Delta 2's first stage. A moment before the jettison occurred, the three remaining motors strapped to rocket ignited to continue assisting the rocket's RS-27A main engine on the push to space.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 56 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket has passed through the region of maximum aerodynamic pressure during its atmospheric ascent.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 40 seconds. The vehicle has broken the sound barrier as it accelerates rapidly.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 30 seconds. The six solid rocket motors ignited on the launch pad have surpassed their period of maximum thrust. Each of the Alliant Techsystems-made boosters generate roughly 100,000 pounds of thrust.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 20 seconds. The Boeing rocket is maneuvering to the proper heading. All six ground-lit SRBs and the main engine are firing.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Delta 2 rocket and the next step in modernizing the Global Positioning System.
1849 GMT (2:49 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 30 seconds. SRB ignitors will be armed at T-minus 11 seconds.
The launch ignition sequence will begin in the final two seconds of the countdown when a Boeing engineer pushes the engine start switch. The process begins with ignition of the two vernier engines and first stage main engine start. The six ground-lit solid rocket motors then light at T-0 for liftoff.
1849 GMT (2:49 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 1 minute. The Delta 2 rocket's second stage hydraulic pump has gone to internal power after its pressures were verified acceptable.
1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 75 seconds. The Air Force's Eastern Range has given the all-clear to launch.
1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 95 seconds. First stage LOX topping to 100 percent is underway.
1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 2 minutes. Pressurization of the first stage liquid oxygen is now beginning. Puffs of vapor from a relief valve on the rocket will be seen in the remainder of the countdown as the tank pressure stabilizes.
1847 GMT (2:47 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The GPS 2R-M1 spacecraft has been declared "go" for launch.
1847 GMT (2:47 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The rocket's third stage safe and arm devices are being armed.
1846 GMT (2:46 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes, 45 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket's systems are now transferring to internal power for launch.
1846 GMT (2:46 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 4 minutes and counting! The Delta 2 rocket is ready to launch the GPS 2R-15 military navigation satellite at 2:50 p.m. EDT from pad 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
By Justin Ray
posted: 25 September 2006
10:35 am ET
1954 GMT (3:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 64 minutes, 30 seconds. Live data from the third stage is not being received back at Cape Canaveral. So real-time confirmation of spinup, separation and ignition of the third stage is not possible at the moment
1953 GMT (3:53 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 63 minutes, 25 seconds. SECO 2. The second stage has completed its second burn of this launch. In the next minute, tiny thrusters on the side of the rocket will be fired to spin up the vehicle in preparation for jettison of the second stage.
1953 GMT (3:53 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 63 minutes. Confirmation is now being received indicating that the Delta 2 rocket's second stage engine is burning.
1952 GMT (3:52 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 62 minutes, 40 seconds. Guam has acquired the rocket's signal. The station will cover the second stage burn, stage separation, the third stage burn and deployment of the payload.
1951 GMT (3:51 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 61 minutes. Second stage engine restart is about 90 seconds away.
1950 GMT (3:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 60 minutes. The Delta 2 rocket should be soaring within range of the Guam tracking station in the next two minutes.
1935 GMT (3:35 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 45 minutes. The thermal conditioning roll of the rocket will end in about 11 minutes. Ignition of the second stage is up coming in 17 minutes.
1920 GMT (3:20 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 30 minutes. The vehicle just passed out of range from the Ascension Island tracking site in the central Atlantic Ocean. The next station to acquire the rocket's signal will be Guam a half-hour from now.
As this coast phase of the launch continues, you can see a map of the rocket's planned track here.
1916 GMT (3:16 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 26 minutes. We are receiving sighting reports of today's launch from as far away as Fort Lauderdale.
1912 GMT (3:12 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 22 minutes. The rocket is in a one-degree per second rolling motion. This is a normal procedure to keep the thermal conditions even across the vehicle.
1906 GMT (3:06 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 16 minutes. Restart of second stage engine is expected at about T+plus 62 minutes, 29 seconds. The stage will fire for approximately 42 seconds to raise the orbit's high point, or apogee. That will be followed by separation between the second and third stages. The upper stage will burn to inject GPS into the intended transfer orbit. Deployment of the payload to complete the launch is expected at T+plus 68 minutes.
1905 GMT (3:05 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 15 minutes. The rocket has successfully achieved a parking orbit with an apogee of 110 miles, perigee of 94 miles and inclination of 37.5 degrees. That is right on the pre-planned orbit parameters.
1902 GMT (3:02 p.m. EDT)
The official launch time was 2:50:00.024 p.m. EDT.
1900 GMT (3:00 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 10 minutes, 58 seconds. SECO 1. The second stage engine cutoff has occurred, completing the motor's first firing of the day. The Delta 2 rocket with GPS 2R-15 has arrived in a preliminary orbit around Earth following launch today from Cape Canaveral. The vehicle will coast for about 52 minutes before the second stage is re-ignited.
1900 GMT (3:00 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 10 minutes, 20 seconds. The speed has increased to 16,100 mph.
1859 GMT (2:59 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 9 minutes, 30 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket is 97 miles in altitude, 1,260 miles downrange from the launch pad, traveling at 15,400 mph.
1858 GMT (2:58 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 8 minutes, 45 seconds. The second stage engine is still firing, consuming a hydrazine propellant mixture and nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer. This burn is needed to achieve a parking orbit around Earth.
1857 GMT (2:57 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 7 minutes, 45 seconds. This initial firing of the second stage should last another three minutes.
1856 GMT (2:56 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 6 minutes, 30 seconds. Good chamber pressure reported on the second stage engine. The vehicle is 90 miles in altitude, 800 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 13,800 mph.
1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 5 minutes, 45 seconds. The vehicle is 77 miles in altitude, 530 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 13,100 mph.
1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 5 minutes, 20 seconds. The rocket's nose cone enclosing the spacecraft has been jettisoned.
1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes, 41 seconds. The spent first stage has been jettisoned and the Delta's second stage engine has ignited!
1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes, 26 seconds. MECO. The first stage main engine cutoff is confirmed.
1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 4 minutes. Coming up on first stage engine cutoff.
1853 GMT (2:53 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. The main engine is still firing normally. The rocket is 47 miles in altitude, 203 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 9,100 mph.
1852 GMT (2:52 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The vehicle is 28 miles in altitude, 77 miles downrange from the launch pad and traveling at 5,300 mph.
1852 GMT (2:52 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 2 minutes, 12 seconds. The three air-ignited solid rocket boosters have burned out and separated. The rocket is now flying solely on the power generated by the liquid-fueled first stage main engine.
1851 GMT (2:51 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 45 seconds. The air-lit boosters are burning well.
1851 GMT (2:51 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 15 seconds. All six ground-start solid rocket boosters have burned out of propellant and separated from the Delta 2's first stage. A moment before the jettison occurred, the three remaining motors strapped to rocket ignited to continue assisting the rocket's RS-27A main engine on the push to space.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 56 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket has passed through the region of maximum aerodynamic pressure during its atmospheric ascent.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 40 seconds. The vehicle has broken the sound barrier as it accelerates rapidly.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 30 seconds. The six solid rocket motors ignited on the launch pad have surpassed their period of maximum thrust. Each of the Alliant Techsystems-made boosters generate roughly 100,000 pounds of thrust.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
T+plus 20 seconds. The Boeing rocket is maneuvering to the proper heading. All six ground-lit SRBs and the main engine are firing.
1850 GMT (2:50 p.m. EDT)
LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Delta 2 rocket and the next step in modernizing the Global Positioning System.
1849 GMT (2:49 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 30 seconds. SRB ignitors will be armed at T-minus 11 seconds.
The launch ignition sequence will begin in the final two seconds of the countdown when a Boeing engineer pushes the engine start switch. The process begins with ignition of the two vernier engines and first stage main engine start. The six ground-lit solid rocket motors then light at T-0 for liftoff.
1849 GMT (2:49 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 1 minute. The Delta 2 rocket's second stage hydraulic pump has gone to internal power after its pressures were verified acceptable.
1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 75 seconds. The Air Force's Eastern Range has given the all-clear to launch.
1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 95 seconds. First stage LOX topping to 100 percent is underway.
1848 GMT (2:48 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 2 minutes. Pressurization of the first stage liquid oxygen is now beginning. Puffs of vapor from a relief valve on the rocket will be seen in the remainder of the countdown as the tank pressure stabilizes.
1847 GMT (2:47 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The GPS 2R-M1 spacecraft has been declared "go" for launch.
1847 GMT (2:47 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The rocket's third stage safe and arm devices are being armed.
1846 GMT (2:46 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 3 minutes, 45 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket's systems are now transferring to internal power for launch.
1846 GMT (2:46 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 4 minutes and counting! The Delta 2 rocket is ready to launch the GPS 2R-15 military navigation satellite at 2:50 p.m. EDT from pad 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
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