GPS IIF-4 - Atlas V 401 - 15.05.2013 - Canaveral SLC-41

[Salo]

2041 GMT (4:41 p.m. EDT)
The liquid hydrogen tank in the Centaur upper stage just reached the 97 percent level. Topping is now beginning.

2038 GMT (4:38 p.m. EDT)
Fast-filling of the first stage liquid oxygen tank has been completed. Topping mode is now underway.

2038 GMT (4:38 p.m. EDT)
Now 60 minutes fr om liftoff. Fueling of the Atlas rocket with cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen is nearing completion as the countdown continues for a liftoff at 5:38 p.m. EDT. Weather remains GO.

If you are heading out to the beach or Port Canaveral to watch the launch, sign up for our Twitter feed to get occasional countdown updates on your cellphone. U.S. readers can also sign up from their phone by texting "follow spaceflightnow" to 40404. (Standard text messaging charges apply.)

And if you are need tips on picking a good viewing spot, check out this authoritative guide on wh ere to go.

2025 GMT (4:25 p.m. EDT)
Centaur's liquid hydrogen tank is 30 percent full. The cryogenic propellant will be consumed with liquid oxygen by the stage's Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne-made RL10 engine.

2016 GMT (4:16 p.m. EDT)
Chilldown of the liquid hydrogen system has been accomplished. The launch team has received the "go" to begin filling the Centaur upper stage with the supercold fuel.

2015 GMT (4:15 p.m. EDT)
First stage liquid oxygen tank is 50 percent full thus far. Chilled to Minus-298 degrees F, the liquid oxygen will be used with RP-1 kerosene by the RD-180 main engine on the first stage during the initial four minutes of flight today. The 25,000 gallons of RP-1 were loaded into the rocket after rollout yesterday.

2008 GMT (4:08 p.m. EDT)
The first stage liquid oxygen tank has reached the 30 percent mark.

2007 GMT (4:07 p.m. EDT)
The Centaur engine chilldown sequence is being initiated.

1957 GMT (3:57 p.m. EDT)
The first stage liquid oxygen loading is transitioning from slow-fill to fast-fill mode.

1956 GMT (3:56 p.m. EDT)
The Centaur liquid oxygen tank reached the 95 percent level. The topping off process is starting now.

1951 GMT (3:51 p.m. EDT)
The chilldown conditioning of liquid hydrogen propellant lines at Complex 41 is starting to prepare the plumbing for transferring the Minus-423 degree F fuel into the rocket. The Centaur holds about 12,300 gallons of the cryogenic propellant.

1950 GMT (3:50 p.m. EDT)
Centaur liquid oxygen is 75 percent loaded.

1949 GMT (3:49 p.m. EDT)
The conditioning of the systems for the first stage liquid oxygen tank have been completed. And a "go" has been given to begin pumping supercold liquid oxygen into the Atlas 5's first stage.

The Common Core Booster stage's liquid oxygen tank is the largest tank to be filled today. It holds 48,750 gallons of cryogenic oxidizer for the RD-180 main engine.

1938 GMT (3:38 p.m. EDT)
Now two hours to launch. Passing the 20 percent level on the Centaur upper stage's liquid oxygen tank.

1930 GMT (3:30 p.m. EDT)
Filling of the Centaur upper stage with about 4,100 gallons of liquid oxygen has begun at Cape Canaveral's Complex 41 following the thermal conditioning of the transfer pipes.

The liquid oxygen -- chilled to Minus-298 degrees F -- will be consumed during the launch by the Centaur's single RL10 engine along with liquid hydrogen to be pumped into the stage a little later in the countdown. The Centaur will perform two firings to propel the GPS satellite into its intended orbit today.

[opty]

Спасибо

[Salo]

Пошла трансляция.
http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml

[Salo]

2125 GMT (5:25 p.m. EDT)
The countdown remains on target for liftoff at 5:38 p.m. EDT (2128 GMT) when today's 18-minute launch opportunity opens.

The kerosene-fueled first stage will be burn for the first four minutes of flight before separating to allow the cryogenic Centaur upper stage to ignite for a 13-minute initial burn to reach a preliminary parking orbit. The nose cone is jettisoned four-and-a-half minutes after launch.

The rocket settles into a 3-hour coast to reach the GPS constellation altitude 11,000 nautical miles up before restarting the RL10 upper stage engine for a 90-second circularization burn.

The satellite is deployed 3 hours and 24 minutes after liftoff into a circular orbit 11,047 nautical miles with a inclination of 55 degrees.

2120 GMT (5:20 p.m. EDT)
Here's a look at some stats about today's mission. This will be:

    The 620th launch for Atlas program since 1957
    The 330th Atlas to occur from Cape Canaveral
    The 209th mission for the Centaur upper stage
    The 186th use of Centaur by an Atlas rocket
    The 435th production RL10 engine to be launched
    The 44th flight of the RD-180 main engine
    The 38th launch of an Atlas 5 since 2002
    The 59th Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle flight
    The 13th Atlas 5 dedicated to the Defense Department
    The 32nd Atlas 5 to occur from the Cape
    The 26th daytime Atlas 5 from the Cape
    The 70th United Launch Alliance flight overall
    The 30th Atlas 5 under United Launch Alliance
    The 26th 400-series flight of the Atlas 5
    The 18th Atlas 5 to fly in the 401 configuration
    The 64th GPS satellite to launch
    The 43rd Boeing-built GPS satellite
    The fourth GPS Block 2F satellite
    The 12th GPS launch on an Atlas rocket
    The first GPS 2F on an Atlas 5
    The fourth Atlas launch of 2013

2118 GMT (5:18 p.m. EDT)
Twenty minutes from liftoff. Weather is GO for launch.

2114 GMT (5:14 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the planned 25-minute hold to give the launch team a chance to review all systems before pressing ahead with liftoff.

2113 GMT (5:13 p.m. EDT)
The fuel-fill sequence for the first stage main engine is starting.

2113 GMT (5:13 p.m. EDT)
T-minus 5 minutes. Standing by to go into the final built-in hold.

2112 GMT (5:12 p.m. EDT)
The GPS 2F-4 satellite is switching to internal power for launch.

2108 GMT (5:08 p.m. EDT)
A reminder that if you will be away from your computer but would like to receive occasional countdown updates, sign up for our Twitter feed to get text message updates on your cellphone. U.S. readers can also sign up from their phone by texting "follow spaceflightnow" to 40404. (Standard text messaging charges apply.)

And check out Spaceflight Now's Facebook page!

2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)
Today marks the 38th flight for Atlas 5, born of the Air Force's competition to develop next-generation Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles. In its previous 37 missions since debuting in August 2002, the tally shows 12 flights dedicated to the Defense Department, 9 commercial missions with communications spacecraft, 9 for NASA and 7 with spy satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office.

2053 GMT (4:53 p.m. EDT)
Just 45 minutes until liftoff time. Today's launch is the fourth for the Block 2F series of GPS satellites built by Boeing. In fact, it is the company's 43rd GPS launch overall, following 11 Block 1 spacecraft, 9 Block 2 and 19 Block 2A. All of the satellites have combined to provide over 500 years of cumulative on-orbit service, said Jan Heide, Boeing's GPS 2F program director.

The latest generation, of which a total of 12 are being produced, began flying in 2010.

"They are providing greater navigational accuracy through improvements in atomic clock technology, a more secure and jam-resistant military signal, an improved L5 (signal) that will eventually assist in commercial aviation and search-and-rescue operations, and an onboard reprogrammable processor. And this is with a 12-year design life for longterm service and reduced operating costs," Heide said.

GPS 2F-4 should complete its initial testing program and be turned over from Boeing to the Air Force in June for final checkout and activation in the navigation constellation.

[Salo]

2130 GMT (5:30 p.m. EDT)
 Standing by for the final readiness check to be conducted. The launch team will be polled for a "go" or "no go" to proceed with the count.

[Space Alien]

T-4 min

[Salo]

Четыре минуты.

[Space Alien]

3 минуты

[Salo]

2132 GMT (5:32 p.m. EDT)
 The GPS spacecraft is running on internal power and configured for launch.
 
 2131 GMT (5:31 p.m. EDT)
 ULA and the Air Force have given their respective final approvals to resume the countdown as scheduled.
 
 2131 GMT (5:31 p.m. EDT)
 Polling of the team by Atlas launch conductor just occurred. All systems are "go" for a liftoff today at 5:38 p.m. EDT.

[Space Alien]

2 минуты

[Space Alien]

1 минута

[Salo]

Улетела!

[Space Alien]

Полетела!

[Space Alien]

[Salo]

Есть сброс первой ступени!

[Salo]

Есть сброс ГО!

[Space Alien]

Отделение первой ступени!

[Space Alien]

Сброс ГО.

[Frontm]

44 / 135

[Salo]

Конец первого включения Центавра.