NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 is flying solo after its successful separation from the Delta II rocket's second stage. In the next three minutes, the spacecraft will stabilize itself and begin deploying its solar arrays.
Second-stage engine cutoff-2 is complete! The rocket is moving into position to release OCO-2.
Restart! The second-stage engine is burning for the final time. This is a short pulse lasting only 12 seconds.
We're less than a minute away from the restart of the second-stage engine to put OCO-2 in place for release. The OCO-2 spacecraft and Delta II vehicle are in good health as the coast phase comes to an end.
The vehicle and spacecraft have entered a coast phase lasting about 40 minutes.
Second-stage engine cutoff! The rocket's second stage has completed its first burn in today's ascent.
Check out this screen capture taken from NASA TV just as the Delta II began to rise from Space Launch Complex 2. Liftoff occurred on time at 2:56 a.m. PDT, 5:56 a.m. EDT.
The payload fairing that protected OCO-2 during the early minutes of flight has separated, allowing the observatory to encounter the space environment for the first time.
Everything continues to go according to plan as the Delta II rocket continues its climb. The first stage separated on time and the second-stage engine has started its first of two burns today, providing 9,753 pounds of thrust to keep OCO-2 on course for its release later this morning.