BY SPACEFLIGHT NOW

Follow the countdown and launch of a Boeing Delta 2 rocket with the QuickBird commercial Earth-imaging satellite. Reload this page for the very latest on the mission.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2001

It's name is QuickBird and it will take pictures of Earth's surface with unprecedented clarity for a commercial eye-in-the-sky imaging satellite. The spacecraft was successfully launched into orbit today by the workhorse Boeing Delta 2 rocket. Read our full launch story.

Here are some video clips of today's launch for our Spaceflight Now Plus subscribers:

Video coverage for subscribers only:

   VIDEO: DELTA LIFTS OFF WITH QUICKBIRD QT or RV
   VIDEO: DRAMATIC AERIAL VIEW OF LAUNCH QT or RV
   VIDEO: SERVICE TOWER ROLLS AWAY FROM ROCKET QT or RV
   VIDEO: ANIMATION OF QUICKBIRD IN SPACE QT or RV
   MORE: COMPLETE SFN+ VIDEO INDEX

2100 GMT (5:00 p.m. EDT)

Controllers have established contact with the QuickBird satellite DigitalGlobe officials report their spacecraft is alive and well in orbit. The initial post-launch activities have gone well.

In an interview this week DigitalGlobe's president and CEO, Herb Satterlee, explained what is planned for QuickBird to get the craft ready for commercial Earth-imaging work.

"For the first three weeks, we are going to be flying the spacecraft and testing all the maneuvering and operational systems but not doing any imaging.

"The design of our telescope is such that it is a composite material that has to dry out. It absorbs a little bit of moisture out of the atmosphere when it is on the ground. When it gets in space the moisture begins to seep back out. We try to speed that process up by leaving some heaters on and leaving the cover closed on the imaging system. That takes about three weeks and then we open it up and start imaging.

"We plan about 75 or 80 days after that to dial it in and make sure we have images that meet the quality specs we need to serve our customers. So we expect to be operational about the first of February."

1952 GMT (3:52 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 61 minutes. SPACECRAFT SEPARATION! The QuickBird commercial Earth-imaging spacecraft has been released from the Boeing Delta 2 rocket's second stage following launch today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The satellite, built by Ball Aerospace for DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colorado, should become operational by the first of February to provide the highest resolution pictures of the Earth's surface available on the commercial market.

This completes our live launch coverage. We will post a full wrap-up story, some pictures and movie clips later today.

1948 GMT (3:48 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 57 minutes. The Malindi tracking station has acquired the signal from the Delta 2 rocket. Spacecraft separation is about four minutes away.

1947 GMT (3:47 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 56 minutes. Confirmation has been made of engine shutdown. The current orbit is now about 255 miles by 249 miles with an inclination of 97.26 degrees.

1946 GMT (3:46 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 55 minutes, 10 seconds. Second stage restart has occurred. The liquid-fueled engine is firing again for an 11-second burn to raise the orbital altitude.

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

T+plus 51 minutes. The Hartebeesthock tracking station in South Africa has picked up the Delta 2 rocket as it flies overhead on a south-to-north trajectory. Coming up on second stage engine reignition.

1937 GMT (3:37 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 46 minutes. The Hartebeesthock is scheduled to acquire the rocket's signal in about five minutes. Restart of the second stage engine is about nine minutes away.

1921 GMT (3:21 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 30 minutes. The Delta rocket continues in its quiet coast period, currently flying over Antarctica. The vehicle is heading up to the high point of its current parking orbit where the second stage engine will restart to circularize the orbit by raising the low point of the orbit.

1906 GMT (3:06 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 15 minutes. The successfully parking orbit achieved by the Delta 2 rocket has a high point of 251 miles, low point of 100 miles and inclination of 98.1 degrees.

The rocket is now passing out of range from any tracking station or aircraft. The next station to cover the launch is the Hartebeesthock tracking site in South Africa to watch as the second stage is restarted. The Malindi, Kenya station will relay data from the rocket during the release of QuickBird.

1903 GMT (3:03 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 11 minutes. SECO 1. We now have confirmation that the second stage engine has shut down as planned. The Delta 2 rocket with QuickBird has arrived into a preliminary orbit around Earth.

The Delta rocket is now in a coast period that will last until the second stage restarts at about T+plus 55 minutes.

1902 GMT (3:02 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 10 minutes, 30 seconds. The launch team at Vandenberg reports it is not receiving live data from the P-3 telemetry relay aircraft at this time. So real-time confirmation of stage cutoff won't be possible for the folks at Vandenberg.

1900 GMT (3:00 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 9 minutes. Just under two minutes left in this first firing of the Delta 2's second stage.

1859 GMT (2:59 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 8 minutes. Today's official liftoff time was 1851:26.242 GMT (2:51:26.242 p.m. EDT).

1858 GMT (2:58 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 7 minutes. Altitude 94 miles, downrange distance 526 miles, velocity 11,800 miles per hour.

1857 GMT (2:57 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 6 minutes, 30 seconds. A P-3 tracking aircraft has aquired the signal of the Delta 2 rocket as it streaks southward from its Central California launch site. The second stage engines continues to fire as planned.

1856 GMT (2:56 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 5 minutes, 5 seconds. The protective payload fairing enclosing the QuickBird satellite atop the rocket has separated with no recontact detected.

1856 GMT (2:56 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes, 45 seconds. Second stage engine ignition has been confirmed.

1856 GMT (2:56 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes, 35 seconds. MECO. The first stage main engine cutoff confirmed, and the spent stage has been jettisoned.

1855 GMT (2:55 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 4 minutes. Coming up on staging.

1854 GMT (2:54 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 3 minutes. The first stage still performing normally. Velocity is now over 3,000 miles per hour. Altitude is 28 miles.

1853 GMT (2:53 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 1 minute, 45 seconds. All three spent solid rocket motors have been jettisoned. The rocket continues to power toward space on the first stage liquid fueled main engine.

1852:31 GMT (2:52:31 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 1 minute, 5 seconds. All three ground-start solid rocket boosters have burned out. Separation will occur once the vehicle passes into a safe drop zone.

1852:21 GMT (2:52:21 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 55 seconds. Altitude 9 miles, downrange distance 12 miles, velocity 996 miles per hour.

1852:06 GMT (2:52:06 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 40 seconds. Vehicle has passed Mach 1.

1851:46 GMT (2:51:46 p.m. EDT)

T+plus 20 seconds. Vehicle has rolled to the proper trajectory.

1851:26 GMT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT)

LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the Boeing Delta 2 launching QuickBird -- a commercial Earth-imaging spacecraft with unrivaled vision. And the vehicle has cleared the tower.

1850:56 GMT (2:50:56 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 30 seconds. Hydraulics and electronics reported go.

The launch ignition sequence will begin at T-minus 2 seconds when a Boeing engineer triggers the engine start switch. The process begins with ignition of the two vernier engines and first stage main engine start. The three solid rocket motors then light at T-0 for liftoff.

1850:26 GMT (2:50:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 1 minute. The Range has given its final clear-to-launch. The Delta 2 rocket's second stage hydraulic pump has gone to internal power after its pressures were verified acceptable.

1849:56 GMT (2:49:56 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 90 seconds. At the telemetry receiving areas where data from the rocket will be transmitted the data recording charts have gone to high speed.

1849:26 GMT (2:49:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 2 minutes. The QuickBird spacecraft has been declared "go" for launch today. The craft is running on internal power.

The first stage liquid oxygen vents are now being closed so the LOX tank can be pressurized for launch. Puffs of vapor from a relief valve on the rocket will be seen in the remainder of the countdown as the tank pressure stabilizes.

1848:26 GMT (2:48:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 3 minutes and counting. The safety destruct safe and arm devices are being armed.

1847:26 GMT (2:47:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 4 minutes and counting. Now in the final phase of the countdown the Delta 2 rocket's systems begin transferring to internal power for launch.

Launch of the QuickBird satellite remains set to occur at 1851:26 GMT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT; 11:51:26 a.m. PDT) from SLC-2 West at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. No problems are standing in the way of the 288th Delta rocket launch, the 99th for a Delta 2 and sixth of 2001.

1846 GMT (2:46 p.m. EDT)

Now five minutes from launch! Standing by for release of the hold in one minute.

1842 GMT (2:42 p.m. EDT)

Now half-way through this built-in hold. All systems remain "go" for launch with no problems being reported by Boeing officials.

1837:26 GMT (2:37:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 4 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered the final planned hold. This is a planned 10-minute hold leading to the opening of today's 15-minute launch window today at 1851:26 GMT.

During the hold officials will poll the various team members behind the scenes, in the "soft blockhouse", Range Operations Control Center and Mission Directors Center.

At this point there are no problems being reported and weather remains "go" for launch. Although it is cloudy at Vandenberg, the conditions are within allowable limits. The upper level winds are also acceptable today.

1833 GMT (2:33 p.m. EDT)

The first stage fuel tank vent is being closed and the tank is being pressurized for launch.

1831 GMT (2:31 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 10 minutes and counting. The countdown is heading to T-minus 4 minutes for a 10-minute hold. Liftoff the Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base is still slated to occur at 1851 GMT with the QuickBird satellite.

For this launch, Boeing is using a model 7320-10 Delta 2 rocket. The expendable launch vehicle consists of two stages, three strap-on solid rocket boosters and a 10-foot diameter payload fairing. The rocket stands 126 feet tall. See our rocket fact sheet for more.

1829 GMT (2:29 p.m. EDT)

Inhibited checks are now underway for the Range Safety command destruct receivers that would be used in destroying the Delta rocket should the vehicle veer off course and malfunction during the launch.

1821 GMT (2:21 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 20 minutes and counting. The countdown has resumed as scheduled following the planned 20-minute built-in hold. Clocks will now tick down to T-minus 4 minutes when the final hold is planned.

Given the lack of audio from the Air Force today, our usual play-by-play coverage of the countdown has been impossible. However, we will be able to follow the these final minutes of the countdown and the entire hour-long flight of the Delta rocket. So stay tuned!

1801:26 GMT (2:01:26 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 20 minutes and holding. The countdown has entered a planned 20-minute built-in hold. This pause is designed to give the launch team a chance to work any problems or catch up on activities that might be running behind schedule. Liftoff remains slated to occur at precisely 1851:26 GMT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT; 11:51:26 a.m. PDT), Boeing says.

1756 GMT (1:56 p.m. EDT)

T-minus 25 minutes and counting. The countdown rolls on at Vandenberg Air Force Base with 55 minutes remaining until the planned launch time. There is a 20-minute planned built-in hold upcoming at T-minus 20 minutes, then a 10-minute hold at T-minus 4 minutes.

The launch team is currently performing "slew" or steering checks of the first and second stage engines. These tests are gimbal checks of the nozzles on the first stage main engine and twin vernier engines and second stage engine to ensure the engines will be able to steer the rocket during launch.

And in the next few minutes RF link tests between the Range and rocket are scheduled.

1745 GMT (1:45 p.m. EDT)

For unknown reasons, the U.S. Air Force is unable today to provide the usual audio feed of launch team activities that is relied upon by reporters covering Vandenberg missions.

According Boeing spokesman Robert Villanueva the countdown is proceeding on schedule for launch at 1851:26 GMT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT; 11:51:26 a.m. PDT). So by this point in the countdown the rocket should be fully fueled for launch.

We'll update as best as possible today.

1551:26 GMT (11:51:26 a.m. EDT)

The Terminal Countdown has started for today's launch of Boeing Delta 2 rocket with the QuickBird commercial Earth-imaging satellite on board for DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colorado. Liftoff remains scheduled for 1851:26 GMT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT; 11:51:26 a.m. PDT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The countdown is being controlled from the "soft blockhouse" located about 8 miles from the Space Launch Complex-2 West pad. Senior launch officials are stationed in the Mission Directors Center located on South Base of Vandenberg, a good distance from the pad.

With the countdown underway, the activities planned over the next hour include clearing the hazard danger area, activating the rocket's Redundant Inertial Flight Control Assembly guidance computer, pressurizing the first and second stage helium and nitrogen systems and second stage fuel tanks and checking the C-band tracking beacon on the rocket.

The loading of super-cold liquid oxygen into the rocket's first stage is slated to begin 1706 GMT (1:06 p.m. EDT; 10:06 a.m. PDT).

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001

The Boeing Delta 2 rocket remains poised for launch Thursday carrying the QuickBird commercial imaging satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The 15-minute launch window opens at 1851:26 GMT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT; 11:51:26 a.m. PDT).

"We just completed the Launch Readiness Review and the vehicle and satellite, their ground system, our ground system, everything is in good shape," Jay Witzling, the Boeing mission director, said in an interview today. "So no issues and everybody's got thumbs up."

Workers are due to arrive at the launch pad at around 11 p.m. local time tonight (2 a.m. EDT) to begin final pre-flight preparations.

The rocket's first stage will be fueled with RP-1, a highly refined kerosene, between 1 and 2 a.m. PDT (4 to 5 a.m. EDT). The fueling will occur earlier than normal as a measure to weight down the relatively light vehicle that has only three strap-on solid rocket motors vs. the usual nine. The extra weight of the nearly 10,000 gallons of fuel will give the rocket more stability once the protective mobile service tower is rolled away. The tower retraction is scheduled to be completed by 5 a.m. PDT (8 a.m. EDT).

The Terminal Countdown is slated to begin at 8:51:26 a.m. PDT (11:51:26 a.m. EDT) from the T-minus 150 minute mark. Two built-in holds are planned during count. The first will occur at T-minus 20 minutes for a duration of 20 minutes; the second happens at T-minus 4 minutes and should last 10 minutes, leading to liftoff at 11:51:26 a.m. PDT (2:51:26 p.m. EDT).

Launch Weather Officer Christy Crosiar is now calling for a 40 percent chance that thick clouds will prohibit liftoff on Thursday. Here is her summary issued this morning:

"The atmosphere over the eastern Pacific is characterized by an area of low pressure off the coast of California. This feature is quasi stationary from Wednesday to launch day through Friday. This low pressure area entrains subtropical moisture that will produce mid and upper level clouds over Vandenberg."

The launch time forecast calls for stratus clouds at 1,200 feet with complete overcast conditions and tops at 2,000 feet, broken altocumulus clouds with 6/8ths sky coverage at 18,000 feet and tops at 22,000 feet, scattered cirrostratus clouds at 28,000 feet with 3/8ths sky coverage and tops at 30,000 feet, visibility of 7 nautical miles, a temperature of 58 to 62 degrees F, north-northwesterly surface winds from 330 to 360 degrees at 10 to 15 knots and the maximum upper level winds from west-southwest at 35 knots at an altitude of 45,000 feet.

Should the launch slip to Friday the probability remains 40 percent "no go" due to thick clouds.

"Upper and mid level clouds are expected to increase and therefore, remain a concern. Upper level winds should increase slightly with a maximum of 45 knots from the west southwest at 45,000 feet," Crosiar said.

We will have complete live coverage of the final countdown and 64-minute flight of the Delta 2 rocket on Thursday. Watch this page for play-by-play updates.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2001

An Earth-imaging satellite that will snap the sharpest commercially available pictures of the planet's surface is awaiting blastoff Thursday atop a Boeing Delta 2 rocket. Read our complete launch preview story.