T-4 Minutes and Holding
The launch countdown has entered a T-4 minute hold. This hold will last 15 minutes. Weather remains at 90 percent chance for favorable weather at liftoff. The constraint for cumulus clouds has been removed.
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GOES-R Flying On Its Own!
Spacecraft sep! Cheers and applause erupt from the launch teams as the GOES-R spacecraft separates from the Centaur upper stage to fly freely for the first time! Next up, solar array deployment. GOES-R is in a transfer orbit of 19,000 miles by 4,400 miles. It will circularize that orbit to more than 22,000 miles above Earth to be in a position to watch the western hemisphere with the most advanced instruments of their kind.
Centaur Engine Shutdown
The RL10 engine on the Centaur upper stage shut down as planned. The Centaur is positioning the GOES-R satellite for separation shortly.