LIVE IMAGES: The images above are from NASA TV (left) and a live video feed at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (right), where the Delta IV rocket and a new weather satellite are poised for launch. They will refresh to the most up-to-the-minute image every 30 seconds.
A United launch Alliance Delta IV rocket blasted off at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, zooming off on a mission to haul a new national weather satellite into an orbit a lofty 22,300 miles above Earth.
The 206-foot-tall rocket and its payload -- a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite -- set sail at 6:51 p.m. and arced out over the Atlantic Ocean, trailing a billowing white umbilical of smoke and steam as it rocketed rapidly toward orbit.
The rocket broke through the sound barrier 47 seconds after liftoff and plowed through the point of maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle -- Max Q -- just over 60 seconds into flight.
Its twin ATK-built solid rocket motors burned out and jettisoned as planned one-minute and 34 seconds into flight.
The flight so far is going just as expected. But it's going to be a long mission. The Delta IV is slated to deploy the GOES-O satellite four-hours and 21 minutes after liftoff, or about 11:02 p.m. tonight.
We'll let you know how it GOES.
2 comments:
Go Delta IV! Now, let's start launching Orion on these things instead of that ridiculous paper rocket known as Ares I!
"Go Delta IV! Now, let's start launching Orion on these things instead of that ridiculous paper rocket known as Ares I!"
Or, let's use the more reliable and better value, Atlas V!!
Post a Comment