Spaceflight Now Home



The Mission




Rocket: Atlas 5 (AV-018)
Payload: PAN
Date: Sept. 8, 2009
Window: 5:35-7:44 p.m. EDT (2135-2344 GMT)
Site: Complex 41, Cape Canaveral, Florida
Broadcast: Galaxy 28, Transponder 15, C-band, 89° West

Mission Status Center

Launch events timeline

Atlas archive






NewsAlert



Sign up for our NewsAlert service and have the latest news in astronomy and space e-mailed direct to your desktop.

Enter your e-mail address:

Privacy note: your e-mail address will not be used for any other purpose.



Atlas/PAN launch timeline
SPACEFLIGHT NOW

T-0:00:02.7 Engine Start
The Russian-designed RD-180 main engine is ignited and undergoes checkout prior to launch.
T+0:00:01.1 Liftoff
The Atlas 5 vehicle, designated AV-018, lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
T+0:04:03 Main Engine Cutoff
The RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage.
T+0:04:09 Stage Separation
The Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition.
T+0:04:19 Centaur Ignition 1
The Centaur RL10 engine ignites for the longer of the today's two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and spacecraft into a parking orbit.
T+0:04:27 Nose Cone Jettison
The payload fairing that protected the PAN spacecraft during launch is separated once heating levels drop to predetermined limits.
T+0:17:27 Centaur Cutoff 1
The Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned parking orbit. The vehicle enters a lengthy coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.
T+1:55:10 Centaur Ignition 2
The Centaur re-ignites to accelerate the payload out of the temporary parking orbit achieved earlier in the launch sequence.
T+1:56:36 Centaur Cutoff 2
At the conclusion of its second firing, the Centaur will have propelled the PAN spacecraft into the planned launch deployment orbit. The exact parameters have not been announced.
T+1:59:25 PAN Separation
The secretive PAN communications satellite built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. government is released from the Centaur upper stage to complete the launch.

Data source: United Launch Alliance.

Expedition 20
The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 20 crew is now available from our stores.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Current Shuttle Mission Patch
The official embroidered patch for shuttle Atlantis' flight to deliver critical spare equipment to the space station.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE



Ares Patch
The Ares Project will develop two new rockets to launch astronauts back to the Moon under NASA's Vision for Exploration. The Ares 1 will employ a single space shuttle solid rocket booster to loft the Orion crew capsule. The gigantic Ares 5 will haul the equipment and cargo needed for such lunar voyages. This is the Ares emblem.
 U.S. STORE


One Giant Leap
Hosted by Corbin Bernsen, this award winning documentary marks the 50th anniversary of the U.S. space agency and features exclusive interviews with veteran astronauts.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE

Expedition 21
The official embroidered patch for the International Space Station Expedition 21 crew is now available from our stores.
 U.S. STORE
 WORLDWIDE STORE


MISSION STATUS CENTER

INDEX | PLUS | NEWS ARCHIVE | LAUNCH SCHEDULE
ASTRONOMY NOW | STORE

ADVERTISE

© 2009 Spaceflight Now Inc.