\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch01-1024x683.jpg\")
\nWith the RD-180 main engine running, the Atlas 5 vehicle lifts off and begins a vertical rise away from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.<\/p>\n
T+00:90.6: Max Q<\/strong> T+04:03.2 Main Engine Cutoff<\/strong> T+04:09.2 Stage Separation<\/strong> +04:19.2 Centaur Ignition 1<\/strong> T+04:27.2 Nose Cone Jettison<\/strong> T+15:22.9 Centaur Cutoff 1<\/strong> T+25:00.1 Centaur Ignition 2<\/strong> T+28:38.3 Centaur Cutoff 2<\/strong> T+43:48.3 Spacecraft Separation<\/strong> See earlier SBIRS GEO Flight 3 coverage.<\/p>\n Our Atlas archive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is the launch timeline to be followed by the Atlas 5 rocket\u2019s ascent into orbit from Cape Canaveral with the SBIRS GEO Flight 3 satellite for U.S. military infrared reconnaissance. Launch is scheduled for Thursday at 7:46 p.m. EST (0046 GMT). T+00:01.1 Liftoff With the RD-180 main engine running, the Atlas 5 vehicle lifts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[437,3222,724,3452,472,3059,3453,750],"class_list":["post-14934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-air-force","tag-ascent","tag-atlas-5","tag-av-066","tag-lockheed-martin","tag-sbirs","tag-sbirs-geo-flight-3","tag-united-launch-alliance"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14934"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14934"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14934\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch02-copy.jpg\")
\nThe Atlas rocket, after breaking the sound barrier at 81 seconds, passes through the region of maximum dynamic pressure during ascent through the lower atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch03-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe RD-180 main engine completes its firing after consuming its kerosene and liquid oxygen fuel supply in the Atlas first stage.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch04-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe Common Core Booster first stage of the Atlas 5 rocket separates from the Centaur upper stage. Over the next few seconds, the Centaur engine liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen systems are readied for ignition.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch05-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe Centaur RL10C-1 engine ignites for the first of two upper stage firings. This burn will inject the Centaur stage and SBIRS spacecraft into an initial parking orbit.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch06-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe payload fairing that protected the SBIRS GEO Flight 3 spacecraft during launch is separated after passage through the atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch07-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe Centaur engine shuts down after arriving in a planned low-Earth parking orbit. The vehicle enters a 9-minute coast period before arriving at the required location in space for the second burn.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch08-1024x576.jpg\")
\nA final push by Centaur is ignited to raise the orbit\u2019s low point and reduce orbital inclination for the SBIRS GEO Flight 3 spacecraft.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch09-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe powered phase of flight is concluded as the Centaur reaches the planned geosynchronous transfer orbit of 115 by 22,237 statute miles and inclined at 23.29 degrees.<\/p>\n
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/launch10-1024x576.jpg\")
\nThe SBIRS GEO Flight 3 missile warning sentinel is released into orbit from the Centaur upper stage to complete the launch.<\/p>\n