TDRS-M – Atlas V 401 – Канаверал SLC-41 – 18.08.2017 12:29 UTC

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https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/08/15/timeline-atlas-5tdrs-m-ascent-events/

Timeline: Atlas 5/TDRS-M ascent events
August 15, 2017 Justin Ray

This is the launch timeline to be followed by the Atlas 5 rocket's ascent into orbit from Cape Canaveral with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-M. Launch is scheduled for Friday at 8:03 a.m. EDT (1203 GMT).

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T+0:00:01.1 Liftoff



With the RD-180 main engine running, the Atlas 5 vehicle lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

T+0:00:91.8: Max Q



The Atlas rocket, after breaking the sound barrier at 80 seconds, passes through the region of maximum dynamic pressure during ascent through the lower atmosphere.

T+0:04:02.2 Booster 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+0:04:08.2 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+0:04:18.2 Centaur Ignition 1



The Centaur RL10C-1 engine ignites for the first of two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and TDRS-M spacecraft into an initial parking orbit.

T+0:04:26.2 Nose Cone Jettison



The payload fairing that protected the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-M spacecraft during launch is separated after passage through the atmosphere.

T+0:17:57.7 Centaur Cutoff 1



The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned elliptical parking orbit. The vehicle enters a 90-minute coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.

T+1:48:03.7 Centaur Ignition 2



A final push by Centaur is ignited to reach a high-perigee geosynchronous transfer orbit for NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-M spacecraft.

T+1:49:00.1 Centaur Cutoff 2



The powered phase of flight is concluded as the Centaur reaches a customized geosynchronous transfer orbit ranging from 2,883 statute miles at its closest approach to Earth to 22,237 statute miles at apogee and an inclination of 26.2 degrees.

T+1:53:46:1 Spacecraft Separation



NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-M is released into orbit from the Centaur upper stage to complete the launch.

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Кратчайшая выжимка из пресс-конференции

Jeff Foust‏ @jeff_foust 11 ч. назад

NASA's Badri Younes to launch director Tim Dunn: "Without any undue pressure, Tim, I really need this spacecraft."


11 ч. назад

James Wilson III of Boeing notes that TDRS-M will be the final Boeing (formerly Hughes) 601 spacecraft to be launched.


11 ч. назад

Q: was this caused by human error or a machine problem? Wilson: there was no machine problem.


10 ч. назад

Wilson: TDRS-M antenna suffered minor damage when a crane came down and touched it; decided to replace it. Investigation completed.


10 ч. назад

Tim Dunn: if can't launch tomorrow or Saturday, would have to stand down through next week for Minotaur 4 launch.

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08/18/2017 08:13  Countdown ticking for today's TDRS-M launch
The countdown has commenced for today's launch of the Atlas 5 rocket with the TDRS-M data relay, enabling NASA communications for scientific discovery.

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Clocks are picking up the seven-hour sequence of work that will prepare the booster, payload and ground systems for blastoff at 8:03 a.m. EDT (1203 GMT).

The launch team will begin powering up the rocket to commence standard pre-flight tests. Over the subsequent few hours, final preps for the Centaur's liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems will be performed, along with a test of the rocket's guidance system and the first stage propulsion and hydraulic preps, internal battery checks and testing of the GPS metric tracking system used to follow the rocket as it flies downrange, plus a test of the S-band telemetry relay system.

A planned hold begins when the count reaches T-minus 2 hours. Near the end of the 15-minute hold, the team will be polled to verify all is in readiness to start fueling the rocket for launch.

Supercold liquid oxygen begins flowing into the Centaur upper stage, followed by the first stage filling. Liquid hydrogen fuel loading for Centaur will be completed a short time later.

A final hold is scheduled at the T-minus 4 minute mark. That 15-minute pause will give everyone a chance to finish any late work and assess the status of the rocket, payload, Range and weather before proceeding into the last moments of the countdown.

The launch window today lasts 40 minutes to 8:43 a.m. EDT (1243 GMT).

"This will be the 72nd launch of an Atlas 5 vehicle, and of those 37 have been the 401 configuration. It has definitely been the workhorse of the family," said Scott Messer, ULA program manager for NASA missions.

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08/18/2017 12:03  L-3 hours and counting
The first four hours of the countdown have been completed at Cape Canaveral for the launch of the TDRS-M data relay satellite at 8:03 a.m. EDT (1203 GMT).

In about 45 minutes, the launch team will be polled for readiness to begin fueling the Atlas 5 rocket. Tanking is scheduled to start a short time later.

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08/18/2017 12:08
Guidence system testing just wrapped up.

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08/18/2017 12:31
The final hands-on work has concluded at the launch pad and technicians are departing the complex for the remainder of the countdown to liftoff.

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08/18/2017 12:32  Countdown in pre-planned hold
T-minus 2 hours and holding. The countdown has just entered the first of two planned, 15-minute holds over the course of the day that will lead to the 8:03 a.m. EDT (1203 GMT) launch of the Atlas rocket. The holds give the team some margin in the countdown timeline to deal with technical issues or any work that is running behind. The final hold is scheduled to occur at T-minus 4 minutes.

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08/18/2017 12:43
The ULA launch conductor at the Atlas Spaceflight Operations Center is briefing his team on procedures before entering into the final two hours of the countdown.

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08/18/2017 12:46  GO for fueling
Console operators have reported READY status during the pre-fueling readiness poll. The ULA launch director also voiced his approval for moving forward with the countdown today.

The loading of nearly 66,000 gallons of cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the Atlas 5 rocket will be getting underway a short time from now.

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08/18/2017 12:47  Countdown running again
T-minus 2 hours and counting! The launch countdown has resumed for today's flight of the Atlas 5 rocket to deploy NASA's TDRS-M spacecraft that will operate 22,300 miles above Earth to relay vital communications to and from the International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope and other satellites.

Clocks have one more built-in hold planned at T-minus 4 minutes. During that 15-minute pause, the final "go" for launch will be given. All remains targeted for liftoff at 8:03 a.m. EDT (1203 GMT) from Cape Canaveral's Complex 41.

In the next couple of minutes, chilldown thermal conditioning of the mobile launch platform upon which the rocket stands will begin. This is meant to ease the shock on equipment when supercold cryogenic propellants start flowing into the rocket.

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08/18/2017 12:47
Safety officials just confirmed that the danger area surrounding the launch pad has been cleared of all workers.

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NASA_LSP‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_LSP 12 мин. назад

Launch Weather Officer, Clay Finn, provided a weather briefing. 90% probability of GO weather conditions #TDRSM #AtlasV @45thSpaceWing

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ULA‏Подлинная учетная запись @ulalaunch 7 мин. назад

The team has given the go to begin cryogenic fueling ops and clocks are counting down. #AtlasV #TDRSM launch is planned for 8:03amET

08/18/2017 12:50
The Centaur liquid oxygen pad storage area has been prepped. The next step is conditioning the transfer lines, which is now beginning to prepare the plumbing for flowing the cryogenic oxidizer.

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08/18/2017 12:57  Centaur LOX loading
Filling of the Centaur upper stage with about 4,150 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 required to propel the TDRS-M spacecraft into the desired orbit today.

Spaceflight Now‏ @SpaceflightNow 56 сек. назад

Fueling has started! Loading of 4,150 gallons of liquid oxygen now underway for Centaur upper stage to loft #TDRSM https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/08/16/av074_journal/ ...

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08/18/2017 13:00
The latest weather outlook is 90 percent favorable for liftoff this morning. Cloud thickness is the only concern.

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Spaceflight101 LIVE‏ @S101_Live 1 мин. назад

L-2 Hours: The countdown is on track, in the early stages of prop load. No technical issues being tracked, weather looking good. #TDRSM

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08/18/2017 13:03
Passing the 10 percent level on the Centaur upper stage's liquid oxygen tank.

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NASA_LSP‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_LSP 1 мин. назад

There are NOT any Collision Avoidance (COLA) cutouts for the #TDRSM window today. #AtlasV Entire 8:03-8:43 a.m. EDT launch window available

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08/18/2017 13:09
Now at the 30 percent level on the Centaur upper stage's liquid oxygen tank.

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NASA_LSP‏Подлинная учетная запись @NASA_LSP 5 мин. назад

The #AtlasV launch pad, Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) was cleared prior to cryogenic tanking. #TDRSM