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Atlas 5 Live Launch Thread 11:42am PDT/2:42pm EDT
SpaceFlightNow.com ^

Posted on 05/04/2012 10:26:10 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine

Rocket: Atlas 5
Payload: AEHF 2
Date: May 4, 2012
Window: 2:42 to 4:42 p.m. EDT (11:42 a.m. - 1:42 p.m. PDT)
Launch Site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral, Florida

After helium purge problem kept the Atlas 5 rocket on the pad Thursday afternoon, a second launch attempt is getting underway today to deploy a sophisticated and critical communications spacecraft for the U.S. government.

The countdown clocks just began ticking, beginning a seven-hour sequence of work that will prepare the rocket, payload and ground systems for today's blastoff at 2:42 p.m. EDT (1842 GMT).

The day's two-hour launch window stretches to 4:42 p.m. EDT.

Here's a timeline of the countdown's key events:

HR:MM..Eastern...Event
T-6:20...7:42am...Countdown begins with rocket power up
T-5:30...8:32am...Weather briefing
T-4:55...9:07am...Start clearing assembly building area
T-4:20...9:42am...C-band tracking beacon testing
T-3:40..10:22am...S-band telemetry link checks
T-2:55..11:07am...Establish blast danger area roadblocks
T-2:20..11:42am...Weather briefing
T-2:15..11:47am...Clear the pad
T-2:00..12:02pm...T-120 minutes and holding (for 30min)
T-2:00..12:27pm...Launch conductor briefing to team
T-2:00..12:29pm...Readiness poll for fueling
T-2:00..12:32pm...Resume countdown
T-1:50..12:42pm...Centaur LOX transfer line chilldown
T-1:43..12:47pm...Begin Centaur liquid oxygen loading
T-1:30...1:02pm...Begin Atlas first stage LOX loading
T-1:25...1:07pm...Centaur LH2 transfer line chilldown
T-1:10...1:22pm...Centaur RL10 engine chilldown
T-1:02...1:30pm...Begin Centaur liquid hydrogen loading
T-0:40...1:52pm...FLight termination system final test
T-0:16...2:16pm...RD-180 engine fuel fill sequence
T-0:10...2:22pm...Weather briefing
T-0:04...2:28pm...T-4 minutes and holding (for 10min)
T-0:04...2:35pm...Readiness poll for launch
T-0:04...2:38pm...Resume countdown
T-0:00...2:42pm...LAUNCH


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: atlas5; florida; launch; rocket
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1 posted on 05/04/2012 10:26:22 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine
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To: Jack Hydrazine

$2 BILLION satellite. That’s some serious satellite! God speed!


2 posted on 05/04/2012 10:28:44 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: Jack Hydrazine

You can watch it at the link above or at the link below.

http://www.ulalaunch.com/site/pages/Webcast.shtml


3 posted on 05/04/2012 10:29:02 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: Jack Hydrazine
Or here:

http://www.livestream.com/spaceflightnow

Going up at 2:42 EDT.

4 posted on 05/04/2012 10:38:10 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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My photo from the last Atlas launch...


5 posted on 05/04/2012 10:53:48 AM PDT by mcmuffin ("Wanting your country back is not the same thing as working to take it back.")
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To: Jack Hydrazine; KevinDavis

Awesome! Will this be televised?


6 posted on 05/04/2012 10:56:21 AM PDT by wastedyears (There can be only one.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Oh sweet I didn’t see that before posting. Thanks!


7 posted on 05/04/2012 10:57:01 AM PDT by wastedyears (There can be only one.)
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Is this the basic configuration of the Atlas V?


8 posted on 05/04/2012 10:57:11 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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To: Red_Devil 232

Still go for launch with 15 minutes to go... awesome video links (see above).


9 posted on 05/04/2012 11:26:37 AM PDT by alancarp (Liberals are all for shared pain... until they're included in the pain group.)
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To: Red_Devil 232
It's an Atlas V 531, one of 10 normal configurations (20 if there were ever a double Centaur flight):

It breaks down to:
5 = 5 meter diameter payload fairing.
3 = 3 SRBs
1 = Single-engine Centaur upper stage

10 posted on 05/04/2012 11:27:08 AM PDT by jboot
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To: Jack Hydrazine
You can watch it at the link above or at the link below

Nah. I'll just go watch from the backyard.

11 posted on 05/04/2012 11:33:32 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys=Can't drive, can't ski, can't fly, can't skipper a boat, but they know what's best for you.)
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To: jboot

Interesting that there’s 3 SRB’s and yet they’re not symmetrically arranged. That’s a new one on me.


12 posted on 05/04/2012 11:35:15 AM PDT by MarineBrat (Better dead than red!)
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To: jboot

Still a bummer we have to purchase the main engines from Russia.. (RD-180) Bad azz engines for sure.


13 posted on 05/04/2012 11:35:59 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: MarineBrat

Could be for compensation purposes for an arch in trajectory. 2 on inner side of arch, 1 on outside of arch? Just guessing.


14 posted on 05/04/2012 11:38:21 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: GeorgeWashingtonsGhost

Appears I was right! LOL Not bad for a liberal arts degree. LOL


15 posted on 05/04/2012 11:43:46 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: GeorgeWashingtonsGhost

Successful launch... SRBs jettisoned normally.


16 posted on 05/04/2012 11:44:37 AM PDT by alancarp (Liberals are all for shared pain... until they're included in the pain group.)
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To: GeorgeWashingtonsGhost

We could even see the faring separation. Amazing long shot.


17 posted on 05/04/2012 11:46:50 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: GeorgeWashingtonsGhost; MarineBrat
OK rocket scientists, if you like the Atlas, you owe it to yourselves to download this and read. Block out a couple of hours.

Configuration info starts on page 1-4.

18 posted on 05/04/2012 11:50:31 AM PDT by jboot
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To: jboot

I got the Ares manual too, awhile back. Did Obama scrap that program? No moon shot?


19 posted on 05/04/2012 11:53:26 AM PDT by GeorgeWashingtonsGhost
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To: alancarp
Nice launch.

One of these days I'm gonna have to be there in person for one.

20 posted on 05/04/2012 11:53:31 AM PDT by jboot
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