Milestones For NASA’s IMAP Launch

There are several key milestones we will be tracking tomorrow morning during launch coverage of NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) observatory and its two rideshares, NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Follow-On Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) spacecraft.

Time Events (all times are approximate):

-00:38:00      SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load

-00:35:00      RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins

-00:35:00      1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins

-00:16:00      2nd stage LOX loading begins

-00:07:00      Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch

-00:01:00      Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks

-00:01:00      Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins

-00:00:45      SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch

-00:00:03      Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start

00:00:00       Falcon 9 liftoff

00:01:12       Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)

00:02:29       1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)

00:02:32       1st and 2nd stages separate

00:02:40       2nd stage engine starts

00:03:12       Fairing separation

00:06:37       1st stage entry burn start

00:07:07       1st stage entry burn ends

00:07:52       2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)

00:08:20       1st stage landing burn start

00:08:45       1st stage landing

01:12:28       2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)

01:13:30       2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)

01:23:51       IMAP deploys

01:30:26       Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 deploys

01:36:46      Carruthers Geocorona Observatory deploys