T-00:00:03 |
Engines at Full Thrust |
The five main engines of the Soyuz rocket's core stage and four strap-on boosters are at full thrust. |
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T-00:00:00 |
Launch |
Producing more than 900,000 pounds of thrust, the Soyuz 2-1b rocket soars into the sky from the Guiana Space Center. |
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T+00:01:58 |
Jettison Boosters |
The Soyuz rocket's four strap-on boosters, each powered by an RD-107A engine, are jettisoned after consuming their propellant. |
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T+00:03:29 |
Jettison Fairing |
The ST-type payload fairing is released from the Soyuz rocket when it reaches the edge of the upper atmosphere. The 13.5-foot-diameter fairing protects the payload during the launch countdown and the flight through the dense lower atmosphere. |
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T+00:04:48 |
Core Stage Separation |
Having burned its propellant, the core stage of the Soyuz rocket, also known as the second stage, separates and the third stage's RD-0124 engine ignites to continue the flight. |
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T+00:09:23 |
Soyuz/Fregat Separation |
The Soyuz rocket's third stage releases the Fregat upper stage just shy of orbital velocity. |
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T+00:10:23 |
First Fregat Ignition |
The hydrazine-fueled Fregat upper stage ignites to place the O3b satellites in a low-altitude parking orbit. |
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T+00:14:20 |
First Fregat Shutdown |
The Fregat upper stage shuts down to begin a coast phase. The Fregat and O3b satellites should now be in an orbit with a high point of 141 miles, a low point of 95 miles and an inclination of 5.15 degrees. |
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T+00:22:50 |
Second Fregat Ignition |
The Fregat stage's main engine fires for a second time to boost the O3b satellites into a transfer orbit. |
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T+00:31:22 |
Second Fregat Shutdown |
After a 8-minute, 32-second burn, the Fregat upper stage shuts down to begin an 81-minute coast phase. |
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T+01:52:25 |
Third Fregat Ignition |
The Fregat main engine ignites a third time to place the O3b satellites into a circular equatorial orbit. |
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T+01:57:27 |
Third Fregat Shutdown |
The third Fregat burn ends after injecting the satellites in a 4,865-mile-high orbit. |
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T+02:00:47 |
First Spacecraft Separation |
Spacecraft no. 2 and spacecraft no. 4 separate from a dispenser on the Fregat upper stage. |
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T+02:16:03 (Varies) |
Fourth Fregat Burn |
The Fregat main engine fires a fourth time to adjust its orbit for separation of the other two O3b satellites. |
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T+02:22:27 (Varies) |
Second Spacecraft Separation |
Spacecraft no. 1 and spacecraft no. 3 separate from a dispenser on the Fregat upper stage. The Fregat engine will fire again later to move the upper stage into a graveyard orbit. |
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