A Delta IV rocket bolted from its pad at 11 p.m. tonight, as if eager to make up for time lost over the past week. It was the fourth attempt to launch the first in a new generation of Air Force Global Positioning System satellites, after scrubs last Friday, Sunday and Monday because of technical issues.
Thursday's countdown proceeded without a hitch and the weather was beautiful.
A cloud of fire swept up the 206-story rocket after the main engine and two solid rocket motors ignited.
The rocket rose slowly from the pad, then vaulted through the night sky, lacing through thin cloud layers on a southeastern trajectory over the Atlantic Ocean, as a nearly full moon stood watch.
The two solid motors fell away 100 seconds into flight and the booster separated a little over four minutes after launch.
The GSP II-F satellite is scheduled to separate from the upper stage around 2:30 a.m. EDT Friday.
Not until then will mission success be declared. We'll provide an update when that milestone is reached.
IMAGE: A Delta IV rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Launch Complex 37 at 11 p.m. Thursday carring the GPS IIF-1 satellite. Credit: Craig Rubadoux, Florida Today.
1 comment:
This the latest example of what space travel will look like for the foreseeable future until NASA steps up and develops a new set technologies and vehicles.
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