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The Mission




Rocket: Atlas 5 (AV-005)
Payload: AMC 16
Date: December 17, 2004
Window: 4:41-7:21 a.m. EST (0941-1221 GMT)
Site: Complex 41, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Satellite feed: AMC 9, Transponder 4, C-band, 85° West

Mission preview story

Launch events timeline

Ground track map

Orbit insertion graphic

Launch hazard area

Cape's Complex 41

Atlas 5 info

AMC 16 facts



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Launch of Atlas 5
The Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket launches at 7:07 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral carrying the AMERICOM 16 communications spacecraft. (6min 22sec file)
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Press site view
The sunrise launch of Atlas 5 is shown in this view from the Kennedy Space Center press site at Complex 39. (QuickTime file)
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Rocket rollout
Riding on its mobile launching platform, the Atlas 5 rocket is rolled from its assembly building to the launch pad at Complex 41 just hours before the scheduled liftoff time carrying AMC 16. (4min 41sec file)
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Atlas 5 news briefing
Mission officials hold the pre-launch news conference in Cape Canaveral on Thursday, Dec. 16 to preview the flight of Atlas 5 with AMC 16. (40min 41sec file)
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AMC 16 launch preview
Preview the launch of Lockheed Martin's Atlas 5 rocket carrying the AMERICOM 16 communications spacecraft with this narrated animation package. (2min 52sec file)
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The AMC 16 spacecraft
This narrated movie provides an overview of the Lockheed Martin-built AMC 16 spacecraft for operator SES AMERICOM. (3min 30sec file)
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Last Atlas 2AS rocket
Lockheed Martin's last Atlas 2AS rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral carrying a classified National Reconnaissance Office spacecraft on August 31. (3min 59sec file)
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Salute to pad 36A
The Atlas launch team in the Complex 36 Blockhouse celebrate the history of pad 36A in a post-launch toast. The Atlas 2AS rocket flight was the last to launch from the pad, which entered service in 1962. (2min 09sec file)
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Mission success
The classified NRO payload is deployed from the Centaur upper stage to successfully complete the launch. (1min 56sec file)
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BY JUSTIN RAY

Follow the countdown and launch of the Lockheed Martin Atlas 5 rocket with the AMC 16 commercial communications satellite. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

Spaceflight Now Plus
Additional coverage for subscribers:
VIDEO: 6-MINUTE CLIP OF THE ATLAS 5 LAUNCH WITH AMC 16 QT
VIDEO: LAUNCH AS SEEN FROM THE COMPLEX 39 PRESS SITE QT
VIDEO: AMC 16 SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED FROM THE ROCKET QT
VIDEO: ATLAS 5 ROCKET IS ROLLED TO THE LAUNCH PAD QT
VIDEO: THURSDAY'S PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE QT
VIDEO: NARRATED ANIMATION PREVIEW OF THIS LAUNCH QT
VIDEO: OVERVIEW OF THE AMERICOM 16 SPACECRAFT QT
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Read our earlier status center coverage.