| T-00:00 |
Liftoff |
| With its LE-7A main engine and two solid rocket boosters firing, the 174-foot-tall H-2A rocket lifts off from the Yoshinobu launch complex on Tanegashima Island. A few moments later, the rocket will complete a pitch program to head east from the launch site. |
|
| T+01:55 |
SRB-A Burnout |
| The H-2A's two solid rocket boosters exhaust their propellant and burn out at an altitude of 32 miles. |
|
| T+02:05 |
SRB-A Separation |
| The two solid rocket boosters are jettisoned. |
|
| T+04:19 |
Fairing Separation |
| After traversing the dense lower atmosphere and reaching an altitude of 91 miles, the rocket releases the 4-meter (13.1-foot) diameter payload fairing protecting the spacecraft during the early part of the flight. |
|
| T+06:29 |
Main Engine Cutoff |
| After consuming its liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants, the LE-7A first stage main engine shuts down. The first stage and solid rocket boosters push the rocket to a velocity of about 11,400 mph. |
|
| T+06:37 |
Stage Separation |
| The H-2A rocket's first stage is separated now, having completed its job. The spent stage will fall into the Pacific Ocean downrange from Tanegashima. |
|
| T+06:43 |
Second Stage Ignition 1 |
| With the first stage jettisoned, the rocket's second stage takes over. The LE-5B hydrogen-fueled engine ignites at an altitude of 140 miles to accelerate the payloads to orbital velocity during its first of two burns. |
|
| T+11:29 |
Second Stage Cutoff 1 |
| The LE-5B second stage engine shuts down after reaching its specified orbital targets. This completes the first burn of the second stage. |
|
| T+12:32 |
Negai Separation |
| The 2-pound Negai CubeSat payload will be deployed in a low-altitude parking orbit for Soka University of Japan. Negai will test an information processing system during a three-week mission. |
|
| T+12:42 |
WASEDA-SAT2 Separation |
| The WASEDA-SAT2 seconday payload separates from the H-2A upper stage. Developed by Waseda University, the 2.6-pound spacecraft will conduct technology experiments in orbit. |
|
| T+12:52 |
KSAT Separation |
| The 3.3-pound KSAT spacecraft is released from the H-2A upper stage to conduct Earth observation experiments for Kagoshima University. |
|
| T+22:32 |
Second Stage Ignition 2 |
| After coasting for more than 11 minutes, the H-2A rocket's second stage LE-5B engine fires again to propel the Akatsuki spacecraft on an escape trajectory. |
|
| T+26:23 |
Second Stage Cutoff 2 |
| The LE-5B second stage engine shuts down after reaching an escape trajectory at a velocity of approximately 26,000 mph. |
|
| T+27:27 |
Akatsuki Separation |
| The Akatsuki spacecraft separates from the H-2A upper stage to begin a six-month journey to Venus. |
|
| T+32:27 |
Begin Solar Array Deployment |
| Akatsuki's two solar array paddles begin deploying about five minutes afer spacecraft separation. |
|
| T+35:27 |
End Solar Array Deployment |
| The solar array paddles should be fully unfurled eight minutes after spacecraft separation. |
|
| T+35:47 |
Payload Attach Fitting Jettison |
| The payload adapter connecting the Akatsuki and Ikaros spacecraft is released, exposing the Ikaros solar sail for separation. |
|
| T+42:42 |
Ikaros Separation |
| The H-2A rocket's secondary payload, the Ikaros solar sail, separates 43 minutes after liftoff. |
|
| T+47:52 |
UNITEC-1 Separation |
| The 46-pound UNITEC-1 satellite from the Japanese University Space Engineering Consortium is deployed. UNITEC-1 will test computer technologies and broadcast radio waves from deep space for decoding by amateur radio operators. |
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