Sunday night launch planned for Atlas 5 rocket (Monday Moring U.K)

Nov. 23

Atlas 5  •  Intelsat 14

Launch window: 0550-0720 GMT (12:50-2:20 a.m. EST) Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket (AV-024) will launch the commercial Intelsat 14 communications spacecraft. Built by Space Systems/Loral, this satellite will provide telecommunications services over the Atlantic Ocean Region. The rocket will fly in the 431 vehicle configuration with a four-meter fairing, three solid rocket boosters and a single-engine Centaur upper stage. Delayed from Oct. 14. Scrubbed Nov. 14 due to glitch in pyrotechnic assembly. [Nov. 18]

 

 

News Headlines

Sunday night launch planned for Atlas 5 rocket The Atlas 5 rocket returned to its launching pad at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 on Saturday morning, primed for a second shot at hauling the Intelsat 14 commercial telecommunications satellite into orbit on Sunday night.    MISSION STATUS CENTER - live updates!    PHOTOS: READY FOR SECOND COUNTDOWN    PHOTOS: THE FIRST ATTEMPT    PHOTOS: ROLLOUT TO LAUNCH PAD    PHOTOS: NIGHTTIME SHOTS OF ROCKET    LAUNCH EVENTS TIMELINE    GROUND TRACK MAP

 

Mission Status Center: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av024/status.html

 

Atlas/Intelsat 14 launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: November 9, 2009

T-00:02.7	Engine Start
The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch.
T+00:01.1	Liftoff
The three strap-on solid rocket boosters are lit as the Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-024, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
T+02:09	Jettison SRBs
Having burned out of propellant approximately 40 seconds earlier, the spent solid rocket boosters are jettisoned to fall into the Atlantic Ocean.
T+04:27	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+04:33	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+04:43	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 Intelsat 14 spacecraft into a parking orbit.
T+04:51	Nose Cone Jettison
The payload fairing that protected the Intelsat 14 spacecraft during launch is separated once heating levels drop to predetermined limits.
T+18:24	Centaur Cutoff 1
The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned parking orbit. The vehicle enters a lengthy coast period lasting nearly 95 minutes before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.
T+1:53:24	Centaur Ignition 2
The Centaur re-ignites over the southeastern Indian Ocean to accelerate the payload into geosynchronous transfer orbit from the parking achieved earlier in the launch sequence.
T+1:54:57	Centaur Cutoff 2
At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have delivered the Intelsat 14 spacecraft into the targeted orbit.
T+1:58:03	Spacecraft Separation
The Intelsat 14 commercial communications satellite is released into orbit from the Centaur upper stage to complete the AV-024 launch.

Data source: United Launch Alliance.

Atlas launch ground track

This map illustrates the ground track that the Atlas 5 rocket will follow during launch. Credit: ULA

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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/