Take NObama / Biden with ‘ya BUMP!
0229 GMT (10:29 p.m. EDT; 7:29 p.m. PDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 30 seconds. The ground-lit boosters have jettisoned from the first stage. They remained attached until the rocket cleared off-shore oil rigs.
In Reverse Order:
0230 GMT (10:30 p.m. EDT; 7:30 p.m. PDT)
T+plus 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The first stage main engine continues to burn normally.
0229 GMT (10:29 p.m. EDT; 7:29 p.m. PDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 30 seconds. The ground-lit boosters have jettisoned from the first stage. They remained attached until the rocket cleared off-shore oil rigs.
0229 GMT (10:29 p.m. EDT; 7:29 p.m. PDT)
T+plus 1 minute, 5 seconds. All four ground-start solid rocket boosters have burned out. The Delta 2’s first stage RS-27A main engine is providing the sole thrust for the next few minutes.
0229 GMT (10:29 p.m. EDT; 7:29 p.m. PDT)
T+plus 50 seconds. The rocket has flown through the area of maximum aerodynamic pressure in the lower atmosphere. The vehicle is riding the power of its first stage main engine and the four strap-on boosters.
0228 GMT (10:28 p.m. EDT; 7:28 p.m. PDT)
T+plus 15 seconds. The Delta 2 rocket is maneuvering onto the correct course for proper placement of the satellite into the COSMO constellation.
0228:25 GMT (10:28:25 p.m. EDT; 7:28:25 p.m. PDT)
LIFTOFF! Liftoff of the third COSMO-SkyMed spacecraft for Italy’s civil and security Earth-observing system.
0227:55 GMT (10:27:55 p.m. EDT; 7:27:55 p.m. PDT)
T-minus 30 seconds. SRB ignitors will be armed at T-minus 11 seconds.
The launch ignition sequence will begin at T-minus 2 seconds when a launch team member triggers the engine start switch. The process begins with ignition of the two vernier thrusters and first stage main engine start. The four ground-lit solid rocket motors then light at T-0 for liftoff.
0227:25 GMT (10:27:25 p.m. EDT; 7:27:25 p.m. PDT)
T-minus 1 minute. All remains “go” for launch.