Key Milestones for Launch of Tonight’s PACE Mission From Florida

Here’s a look at some of the milestones for this morning’s countdown, liftoff, and ascent of NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. All times are approximate:

COUNTDOWN : Hr/Min/Sec        Event

– 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

LAUNCH, LANDING, AND SPACECRAFT DEPLOYMENT: Hr/Min/Sec        Event

00:01:07 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)

00:02:19 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)

00:02:23 1st and 2nd stages separate

00:02:30 2nd stage engine starts

00:02:36 Boostback Burn Starts

00:03:16 Boostback Burn Ends

00:04:15 Fairing deployment

00:05:46 1st stage entry burn start

00:06:11 1st stage entry burn ends

00:06:58 1st stage landing burn start

00:07:32 1st stage landing

00:10:20 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)

00:12:22 PACE spacecraft deploys