A United Launch Alliance Atlas V blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 41 on schedule at 8:31 p.m.The 19-story rocket lit up the sky just south of the Kennedy Space Center launch pad where shuttle Atlantis is resting, as it hauled the second Wideband Global SATCOM military communications satellite toward an orbit about 22,000 miles above Earth.
Two solid rocket boosters jettisoned on schedule a little over two minutes into flight, and the first stage booster separated about four-and-a-half minutes into flight.
The payload fairing separated a short time later.
The Centaur upper stage and other systems are reportedly performing well.
Photo credit: Craig Bailey, Florida Today
5 comments:
Thanks for your excellent coverage of rocket launches at the Cape! We wouldn't be able to keep up with events there without you!
Brian: thanks your kind comment. It's great to know that folks as far away as Wyoming are taking an interest in launches from the Cape.
why does the USA use Russian engine?
Brian from Nebraska wants to also say thanks!
Russian engines are the best in the world, driven by their metallurgy technology. After WWII, Russians invested in materials; America invested in computer technology. This meant America could optimize its structures and the flight electronics did not weight as much, so its engines did not have to be as powerful.
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