Atlas 5 Live Launch Thread 11:42am PDT/2:42pm EDT

SpaceFlightNow.com ^

[Jack Hydrazine]

Rocket: Atlas 5
Payload: AEHF 2
Date: May 4, 2012
Window: 2:42 to 4:42 p.m. EDT (11:42 a.m. - 1:42 p.m. PDT)
Launch Site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral, Florida

After helium purge problem kept the Atlas 5 rocket on the pad Thursday afternoon, a second launch attempt is getting underway today to deploy a sophisticated and critical communications spacecraft for the U.S. government.

The countdown clocks just began ticking, beginning a seven-hour sequence of work that will prepare the rocket, payload and ground systems for today's blastoff at 2:42 p.m. EDT (1842 GMT).

The day's two-hour launch window stretches to 4:42 p.m. EDT.

Here's a timeline of the countdown's key events:

HR:MM..Eastern...Event
T-6:20...7:42am...Countdown begins with rocket power up
T-5:30...8:32am...Weather briefing
T-4:55...9:07am...Start clearing assembly building area
T-4:20...9:42am...C-band tracking beacon testing
T-3:40..10:22am...S-band telemetry link checks
T-2:55..11:07am...Establish blast danger area roadblocks
T-2:20..11:42am...Weather briefing
T-2:15..11:47am...Clear the pad
T-2:00..12:02pm...T-120 minutes and holding (for 30min)
T-2:00..12:27pm...Launch conductor briefing to team
T-2:00..12:29pm...Readiness poll for fueling
T-2:00..12:32pm...Resume countdown
T-1:50..12:42pm...Centaur LOX transfer line chilldown
T-1:43..12:47pm...Begin Centaur liquid oxygen loading
T-1:30...1:02pm...Begin Atlas first stage LOX loading
T-1:25...1:07pm...Centaur LH2 transfer line chilldown
T-1:10...1:22pm...Centaur RL10 engine chilldown
T-1:02...1:30pm...Begin Centaur liquid hydrogen loading
T-0:40...1:52pm...FLight termination system final test
T-0:16...2:16pm...RD-180 engine fuel fill sequence
T-0:10...2:22pm...Weather briefing
T-0:04...2:28pm...T-4 minutes and holding (for 10min)
T-0:04...2:35pm...Readiness poll for launch
T-0:04...2:38pm...Resume countdown
T-0:00...2:42pm...LAUNCH

[alancarp]

Wow... takes an almost 3 months continuous burn to raise this satellite to its final orbit. Only then do they start testing to insure that the bird is working as expected.

Halfway across the Atlantic now... nearing 1st main engine cut off. It's all good.

[jboot]

Some of the Ares flight hardware is still on life support over at Lockheed, but the federal program is toast.

Obama isn't going to the "white man's moon". Or anywhere else, for that matter.

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

Nor would he dare honor those aged white folk of Houston’s mission control and it’s relevance to the early American space program by allowing them to have a retired Space Shuttle. New York getting a Space Shuttle is a dirty, rotten slap in the face.

[jboot]

I don't think Zero likes Texas any more that he likes space exploration.

NY got Enterprise, the Smithsonian got Discovery. Any idea who is getting Endeavor and Atlantis?

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

Atlantis going to Kennedy Space Center, FL and Endeavor going to California Science Center.

[jboot]

Cali and NY instead of Houston and Huntsville. Sux. I’m kind of surprised they left one at KSC. I guess FL is enough of a swing state.

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

It appears the satellite has successfully separated from the booster into orbit.

[stevie_d_64]

Huntsville, Alabama has an orbiter test vehicle, it is kinda like the Enterprise, not configured for flight, but all the integration and test connections are there...

Its called “Pathfinder” IIRC...I stand to be corrected, but that is what I recall...

It is mounted on display outside the Space Camp facility/museum...

That victory lap that the SCA did with Enterprise on its back (over NYC) was another snub at the JSC Manned Space Flight Center in Houston...

Chuck Schumer can shove the whole orbiter right up his [expletive deleted]!!! As far as I am concerned...

[hotshu]

Jack,

Thanks for the heads up and the link!

hs

[Jack Hydrazine]

Can’t wait for Falcon 9’s launch next!