BY JUSTIN RAY

Follow the preparations to the maiden launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 TV broadcasting satellite. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission. Use our text only page for faster downloads.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2002

After a night of partying and jubilant celebrations, Lockheed Martin officials said Thursday that the first Atlas 5 rocket gave its paying cargo "a marvelous ride" into space following a remarkable on-time takeoff for the new launcher. Read our full story.

Video coverage for subscribers only:
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2002

Riding a tongue of golden flame from its Russian-made engine, Lockheed Martin's first Atlas 5 booster sailed into space Wednesday to successfully open a new chapter for America's rocket industry.

After a remarkably smooth countdown, the inaugural flight began exactly on time at 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 GMT) from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Streaking across the Atlantic and into darkness, the two-stage rocket hurled the French-built Hot Bird 6 television broadcasting satellite into a supersynchronous transfer orbit for Paris-based operator Eutelsat. The craft was released over western Africa, just south of the equator, some 31-1/2 minutes after liftoff to complete the 61st consecutive successful Atlas launch.

"It was absolutely gorgeous!" Air Force Col. Susan Mashiko, director of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program office, said after the flight. "Everybody was holding their breath. It was phenomenal."

The idea for Atlas 5 goes back almost 10 years when the U.S. military began studies to modernize the capabilities of space launch by enhancing reliability and reducing costs. Atlas 5 and Boeing's Delta 4, scheduled to debut in October, were selected by the Air Force as America's next-generation launchers under the EELV banner.

"We had a vision back in 1993 of where we wanted to take the Atlas. With today's successful launch, we celebrate the achievement of that vision and the continuing success story of Atlas," said G. Thomas Marsh, president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space Systems - Astronautics Operations.

A post-launch news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. EDT Thursday morning. We'll have a complete wrap-up story after that event.

We have assembled a photo gallery of 22 launch images, including several taken from video cameras mounted to the rocket.

For our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers, here is a collection of video clips from the maiden voyage of Atlas 5:

Video coverage for subscribers only:
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   VIDEO: SUCCESS IS DECLARED AS PAYLOAD IS DEPLOYED QT or RV
   VIDEO: CELEBRATIONS AND POST-LAUNCH SPEECHES QT or RV
   VIDEO: COMMENTS FROM U.S. AIR FORCE EELV OFFICIAL QT or RV
   VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH PROCESSING OF ATLAS 5 QT or RV
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2315 GMT (7:15 p.m. EDT)

Here's a look at the orbital data from today's launch. The parking orbit achieved after the first burn by Centaur was exactly on the predicted numbers of 107.6 by 800 nautical miles. The orbit that Hot Bird 6 was deployed into has a high point of 24,764 nautical miles for a predicted 24,757 miles, low point of 170.0364 miles for targeted 170 miles and inclination of 17.82 degrees for planned 17.57 degrees.

2257 GMT (6:57 p.m. EDT)

Following a flag exchange ceremony between Lockheed Martin and customer Eutelsat, the Paris-based satellite operator, Atlas 5 Launch Director Adrian Laffitte said it all: "Let's party!"

2251 GMT (6:51 p.m. EDT)

Eutelsat just confirmed that contact has been established with Hot Bird 6. The satellite is alive following the launch. That news was met with a thunderous cheer from the launch control center where the rocket team and senior managers are celebrating Atlas 5's success.

2245 GMT (6:45 p.m. EDT)

The congratulations, celebrations and parties are well underway here at Cape Canaveral following the today's successful maiden voyage of Atlas 5 rocket. This extends the Atlas record to 61 consecutive successful launch dating back to 1993. In addition, the last 7 Atlas versions have now all debuted successfully since 1990.

2238 GMT (6:38 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 33 minutes. The Atlas 5 has delivered its paying cargo into the proper orbit, officials report. The quick-look orbit data shows a successful launch of Hot Bird 6.

We'll take a quick pause. Check back for the orbit numbers and plenty of video and images tonight!

2236 GMT (6:36 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 31 minutes, 50 seconds. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION! Eutelsat's Hot Bird 6 television broadcast satellite has been released into Earth orbit from the Centaur! The first flight of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket has been completed!

2236 GMT (6:36 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 31 minutes, 35 seconds. Spin up is underway.

2235 GMT (6:35 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 30 minutes, 30 seconds. The Centaur should be in its reorientation maneuver to prepare for releasing the payload.

2234 GMT (6:34 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 29 minutes, 45 seconds. Just under two minutes until spacecraft deployment to complete today's launch.

2233 GMT (6:33 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 28 minutes, 45 seconds. The Centaur's Pratt & Whitney RL-10 engine has shut down. Telemetry is still noisy but MECO 2 was confirmed.

2233 GMT (6:33 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 28 minutes, 18 seconds. Telemetry has been restored. Engine still looks good.

2232 GMT (6:32 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 27 minutes, 45 seconds. Engineers report a lost of telemetry from the vehicle in the control center.

2232 GMT (6:32 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 27 minutes, 30 seconds. About one minute left to go in powered flight. Pressures and parameters still reported good.

2231 GMT (6:31 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 26 minutes, 20 seconds. Battery voltages and vehicle rates look good.

2230 GMT (6:30 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 25 minutes, 30 seconds. Burn continues normally. Vehicle is right on course.

2230 GMT (6:30 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 25 minutes. Acceleration is 0.9 g's.

2229 GMT (6:29 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 24 minutes, 30 seconds. Centaur engine is burning at full thrust.

2229 GMT (6:29 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 24 minutes, 24 seconds. Centaur is firing again! The single RL-10 engine has reignited for four-minute, 14-second burn to boost Hot Bird 6 from the current low-altitude parking orbit to a highly elliptical supersynchronous transfer orbit around Earth.

2228 GMT (6:28 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 23 minutes, 10 seconds. Small thrusters on the Centaur stage are firing to settle the propellant inside the vehicle's tanks to prepare for engine ignition.

2227 GMT (6:27 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 22 minutes. The vehicle is now approaching the African Ivory Coast as it coasts above the Central Atlantic, just north of the equator. Centaur engine restart is expected T+plus 24 minutes, 12 seconds.

2225 GMT (6:25 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 20 minutes. Just over four minutes remaining in the coast before Centaur is restarted.

2223 GMT (6:23 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 18 minutes, 30 seconds. Vehicle motions and rates are normal in this coast period.

2222 GMT (6:22 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 17 minutes, 20 seconds. Engineers are looking at the events that have occurred thus far in today's flight. All have happened at about the nominal time, confirming a good flight to this point.

2221 GMT (6:21 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 16 minutes. The Centaur and Hot Bird payload are now in a parking orbit around Earth.

2220 GMT (6:20 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 15 minutes, 20 seconds. MECO 1. The Centaur main engine has cut off as planned following the first of two planned firings to propel Eutelsat's Hot Bird 6 communications system into the targeted supersynchronous transfer orbit. The vehicle will coast for about 9 minutes before the Centaur reignites.

2220 GMT (6:20 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 15 minutes. Standing by for engine shutdown.

2219 GMT (6:19 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 14 minutes, 30 seconds. The Flight Termination System has been safed.

2219 GMT (6:19 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 14 minutes. The rocket is heading into orbital darkness as it flies over the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Cape.

2217 GMT (6:17 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 12 minutes, 50 seconds. Steady operation of Centaur propulsion system reported. Radar tracking shows the rocket is still right on course.

2216 GMT (6:16 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 11 minutes, 40 seconds. Centaur burn goes on. Speed is 14,000 mph.

2216 GMT (6:16 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 11 minutes. The RL-10 engine parameters are all reported normal.

2214 GMT (6:14 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 9 minutes. About six minutes remaining in this first of two firings by the Centaur to deliver Hot Bird 6 into orbit. All systems still reported normal as the rocket continues to fly on the proper trajectory.

2212 GMT (6:12 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 7 minutes, 40 seconds. Speed is 12,000 mph, downrange distance 828 miles from the launch pad.

2211 GMT (6:11 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 6 minutes, 30 seconds. Vehicle continues right on the planned track. Altitude 126 miles, downrange distance 126 miles, velocity 11,600 miles per hour.

2210 GMT (6:10 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 5 minutes. The Centaur upper stage is burning as planned. No problems reported. A clean separation of stages and fairing.

2209 GMT (6:09 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes, 45 seconds. The payload fairing has been jettisoned. It is no longer needed to protect the Hot Bird 6 satellite during the launch.

2209 GMT (6:09 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes, 30 seconds. The spent first stage has separated and Centaur's RL-10 main engine has ignited!

2209 GMT (6:09 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes, 10 seconds. BECO. The RD-180 booster engine has shut down as expected.

2208 GMT (6:08 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 3 minutes, 30 seconds. Acceleration 4.6 g's, altitude 20 miles, downrange distance 100 miles, speed 7,800 mph.

2208 GMT (6:08 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 3 minutes. One minute left in the first stage burn by the RD-180 main engine.

2207 GMT (6:07 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 2 minutes. No problems reported from the Atlas 5 rocket as it screams to space.

2206 GMT (6:06 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 1 minute, 40 seconds. The main engine is beginning the throttle down as planned.

2206 GMT (6:06 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 1 minute. A smooth flight for Atlas 5. Vehicle is right on course, systems reported normal.

2205 GMT (6:05 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 20 seconds. RD-180 engine has throttled down to 99 percent thrust as planned. Roll maneuver and pitch over to the proper trajectory has occured.

2205 GMT (6:05 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 15 seconds. Umbilical mast is cleared. RD-180 engine is at 100 percent thrust.

2205 GMT (6:05 p.m. EDT)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the inaugural voyage of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 -- launching a new era in American space rocketry!

2204 GMT (6:04 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 40 seconds. "Go Booster" "Go Centaur" "Go Atlas 5" called by launch team.

2204 GMT (6:04 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 1 minute. Now 60 seconds from the dawn of the Atlas 5 generation.

2203 GMT (6:03 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 90 seconds. Launch control system is enabled. The Flight Termination System safe and arm devices have been armed.

2203 GMT (6:03 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 2 minutes. The Atlas first stage and Centaur upper stage are now switching to internal power. Liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen topping for Centaur will be stopped in 10 seconds.

2202 GMT (6:02 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 3 minutes. The Atlas first stage liquid oxygen replenishment is being secured so the tank can be pressurized for flight. Also, the RP-1 tank is being pressurized to flight level.

2201 GMT (6:01 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 4 minutes and counting. The final countdown is now underway for the maiden voyage of Atlas 5! The automatic computer sequencer is in control of all the critical events through liftoff.

2200 GMT (6:00 p.m. EDT)

Stand by to resume the countdown in one minute.

2159 GMT (5:59 p.m. EDT)

The countdown will resume at 6:01 p.m. EDT for an on-time launch of the first Atlas 5 rocket. All systems are now verified "go" for launch.

2159 GMT (5:59 p.m. EDT)

The fuel-fill has been completed. Launch Director Adrian Laffitte has given his "go" for flight.

2158 GMT (5:58 p.m. EDT)

The launch team in the Atlas 5 Spaceflight Operations Center have been polled by Launch Conductor Mike Jacobs. Aside from completion of the RD-180 main engine fuel-fill sequence and a few other tasks, the launch team is ready for liftoff!

2156 GMT (5:56 p.m. EDT)

Standing by the final polls of the launch team in the next few minutes.

2153 GMT (5:53 p.m. EDT)

The Hot Bird 6 payload is on internal power.

2151 GMT (5:51 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered this final planned hold. The pause is scheduled to last 10 minutes. There are no major problems being worked and weather conditions still look favorable for an on-time liftoff at 6:05 p.m.

2150 GMT (5:50 p.m. EDT)

With 15 minutes left until launch, the Hot Bird 6 spacecraft atop the Atlas 5 rocket is now switching from ground-fed power to internal batteries for launch.

2139 GMT (5:39 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 16 minutes and counting. Countdown clocks are ticking down to the T-minus 4 minute mark where a 10-minute hold will occur. Liftoff still set for 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 GMT).

The fuel-fill sequence begins at this time in the count for the Russian-made RD-180 main engine, which powers the Atlas rocket during its first four minutes of flight.

2135 GMT (5:35 p.m. EDT)

Liftoff is now just 30 minutes away! There are no technical problems being worked and the countdown continues on schedule.

Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia just provided another update to officials. The weather reconnaissance aircraft continues to closely monitor clouds around the area. It is believed the cumulus cloud rule could be violated around 6:30 p.m. and last for 30 to 45 minutes. So the first part of the launch window still offers the best chance. The window extends from 6:05 to 7:34 p.m.

2129 GMT (5:29 p.m. EDT)

A check of the rocket's Flight Termination System has been completed. The FTS would be used to destroy the vehicle in the event of a malfunction during launch.

2118 GMT (5:18 p.m. EDT)

The Centaur oxygen and hydrogen tanks have been reported topped off to flight level. The countdown continues for launch at 6:05 p.m. EDT.

2116 GMT (5:16 p.m. EDT)

The flight hazard area has established and verified clear.

2111 GMT (5:11 p.m. EDT)

The Range is now "go" for launch. The earlier problem with links to the Antigua downrange station have been restored.

2105 GMT (5:05 p.m. EDT)

Now one hour away from the scheduled launch time. Blue skies over the launch pad, the countdown is on schedule and the rocket remains in good shape. However, the Range is currently down because links with a command station have been lost. Troubleshooting is underway.

There is some weather in the area that meteorologists are watching. It is possible the cells could move within 10 miles of the pad by around 6:30 p.m., which likely would violate the cumulus cloud rule. So the earlier part of the launch window is expected to be best.

Meanwhile, loading of the rocket with super-cold rocket fuel has been completed as the Centaur hydrogen tank has reached flight level. The Centaur and Atlas liquid oxygen tanks were filled earlier in the countdown.

2057 GMT (4:57 p.m. EDT)

The liquid hydrogen tank in the Centaur upper stage has just reached 97 percent full. Topping is now beginning.

2054 GMT (4:54 p.m. EDT)

The Eastern Range has just announced it is "no go" for launch. Links with a command station have been lost. The issue is being worked. Air Force officials expect an update around 5:15 p.m.

2049 GMT (4:49 p.m. EDT)

The Centaur liquid hydrogen tank is now half full.

2047 GMT (4:47 p.m. EDT)

The anomaly resolution team has developed a workaround plan to fix the problem with one Atlas liquid oxygen system valves. A small leak has occurred on a valve that is preventing the first stage tank from maintaining flight level. The team will use a bleed valve to keep the tank topped off.

2041 GMT (4:41 p.m. EDT)

The liquid hydrogen chilldown is now complete and the super-cold fuel is flowing to fill the Centaur upper stage. The cryogenic propellant will be consumed with liquid oxygen by the stage's Pratt & Whitney-made RL-10 engine to propel the Hot Bird 6 satellite into the targeted supergeosynchronous transfer orbit today.

2036 GMT (4:36 p.m. EDT)

The Atlas first stage liquid oxygen technician in the launch control center has reported a slight leak with the flow control valve. The anomaly resolution team is now discussing the issue to determine what, if anything, needs to be done.

2035 GMT (4:35 p.m. EDT)

Now 90 minutes away from the debut launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket and the Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 communications satellite. The countdown is currently passing the T-minus 80 minute mark. One 10-minute hold is planned at T-minus 4 minutes.

2016 GMT (4:16 p.m. EDT)

Launch Weather Officer Jim Sardonia says there are some clouds about 40 miles south of the pad as part of an outflow boundry from a previous thunderstorm. Those cumulus clouds could be within 10 miles of Complex 41 around 7 p.m. The weather reconnaissance aircraft will be dispatched shortly to look at those clouds, as well as some clouds and showers to the east over the Atlantic Ocean.

Sardonia is keeping with his forecast of a 70 percent chance of meeting the launch weather rules. He says conditions are expected to be better at the beginning of the window than later.

Meanwhile, the fast-fill loading of the first stage liquid oxygen tank has been completed to 96 percent. Topping off of the tank is now starting.

2009 GMT (4:09 p.m. EDT)

Atlas first stage liquid oxygen has passed the 80 percent mark. And the "go" has been given to start chilling the Centaur liquid hydrogen transfer line in preparation for loading the upper stage.

2005 GMT (4:05 p.m. EDT)

Now two hours away from launch. There are no significant issues being reported by the launch team, the weather is still optimistic, fueling operations are on-going and the countdown continues for an on-time liftoff at 6:05 p.m. EDT

2001 GMT (4:01 p.m. EDT)

The first stage liquid oxygen tank is at the 60 percent level. And the Centaur LOX tank has now reached flight level. As the countdown proceeds, that tank -- and the other cryo tanks -- will be replenished to replace the cryogenics that naturally boils away.

1954 GMT (3:54 p.m. EDT)

The Centaur liquid oxygen tank has now reached the 95 percent level. Topping off of the tank is starting.

1949 GMT (3:49 p.m. EDT)

Liquid oxygen loading for both the first stage and upper stage continues. Centaur LOX is now 75 percent filled and first stage is at 30 percent.

Chilled to Minus-298 degrees F, the cryogenic oxidizer will be used with RP-1 kerosene by the RD-180 main engine on the first stage and with liquid hydrogen for the Centaur's single RL-10 engine.

1945 GMT (3:45 p.m. EDT)

The liquid hydrogen storage tank for Centaur is now being pressurized to chilldown level as a precursor for today's loading of the fuel into the upper stage.

1942 GMT (3:42 p.m. EDT)

Centaur's liquid oxygen tank is past 40 percent; the first stage LOX tank is 10 percent full as fueling operations continue ahead of the advertised schedule this afternoon.

1940 GMT (3:40 p.m. EDT)

The Atlas 5 first stage -- called the Common Core Booster -- is beginning to frost over from the cryogenic liquid oxygen. Meanwhile, the Centaur liquid oxygen loading is passing the 30 percent mark.

1935 GMT (3:35 p.m. EDT)

Fueling of Atlas 5 is an automated affair. The launch team technicians in Lockheed Martin's new Atlas 5 Spaceflight Operations Center at Complex 41 control the process, commanding the loading to start and stop. However, an automated computer program will actually perform the the tanking operations.

1932 GMT (3:32 p.m. EDT)

The chilldown conditioning of the systems for the first stage liquid oxygen tank have been completed. And a "go" has been given by Launch Conductor Mike Jacobs to begin pumping super-cold liquid oxygen into the Atlas 5's first stage.

Meanwhile, Centaur liquid oxygen tanking operations are also starting after those chilldown procedures were finished.

1925 GMT (3:25 p.m. EDT)

The Air Force has announced one COLA, or Collision Avoidance period, that will prohibit liftoff for a few minutes during today's 89-minute launch window. The COLA extends from 6:33:01 to 6:37:58 p.m. EDT. The COLA cutout ensures the craft isn't launched on a course that would take it too close to an orbiting object already in space.

So the available times to launch today have been set as 6:05 to 6:32 p.m. and 6:38 to 7:34 p.m. EDT.

1917 GMT (3:17 p.m. EDT)

Countdown activities continue at a brisk pace this afternoon. The Centaur liquid oxygen storage tank and the transfer line chilldown procedures have started in advance of loading the upper stage. And now the Eastern Range is about to perform their holdfire safety checks, a bit earlier than scheduled.

1905 GMT (3:05 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 170 minutes and counting. The countdown is now running again following the planned 30-minute hold. There are no significant issues being reported, the weather continues to look favorable and the countdown is on schedule for launch at 6:05 p.m. EDT today. One more planned hold is slated for T-minus 4 minutes.

As the count picks up, the launch team will begin pressurizing the RP-1 first stage fuel tank, starting the hazardous gas monitoring system and beginning the first stage and mobile launch platform liquid oxygen chilldown.

Read our earlier status center coverage.