George Diller, NASA Launch Commentator: This is Pegasus launch control
at T-2 hours and counting.
Preparations are under way for the launch of the Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket
carrying NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft.
The call to stations for the launch team was at 7 a.m. this morning
and the launch countdown began at 7:30 a.m. eastern time at T-4 hours.
The time from the L-1011's departure until the drop of the Pegasus rocket is 60 minutes
and the launch window available to us today is four hours in duration.
Weather wise, we have no significant clouds or weather.
The forecast today calls for only a one percent chance or even less,
almost no chance of having a launch weather issue during our countdown today in the drop
box location.
So at this time, from a weather standpoint, we are completely green.
The University of California at Berkeley is responsible for the operation of the spacecraft
and the California Institute of Technology, or CalTech, is responsible
for the mission science.
Both the Pegasus XL rocket and the NuSTAR spacecraft were built by
Orbital Sciences Corporation.
This will be the 41st launch of a Pegasus rocket,
13th for NASA and this is the thirdlaunch
from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands for NASA's Launch Services Program.
Launch Conductor: And launch team, this is LC on countdown net.
L-1011 is rolling for taxi,
this completes the engine start and pre-taxi checklist.
And we've got wheels up, launch team. We'll go ahead and check step 116 complete.
That completes the pre-takeoff checklist, currently in the climb-cruise checklist.
Launch Controller: And batteries on my mark,
Three
Two
One
Mark
Starboard now.
Port now.
RCRSO, rudder now.
Fin sweep now.
Launch Conductor: LC is go for launch, PLT confirms.
George Diller/Launch Commentator: T minus 15 seconds.
Pilot is "go" for launch.
T minus 10
Nine
Eight
Seven
Six
Five
Four
Three
Two
One
Drop
And Pegasus is away, standing by for ignition.
Launch Controller: Stage 1 ignition.
George Diller/Launch Commentator: And we have Stage 1 ignition.
Ignition of the Pegasus rocket with NuSTAR for an understanding of the ultimate destinies
of our stars and galaxies.
Ascent Commentator: Fin actuator system operating nominally.
Fins following commands and controlling the flight of the vehicle.
Power bus is strong, PDUs enabled. Vehicle flight path is nominal, flying the normal
trajectory.
Launch Controller: We have Stage 1 sep.
Stage 2 ignition confirmed.
Launch Controller: Stage 2 ignition.
Launch Controller: Stage 2 separation.
Eleven seconds to stage three ignition.
Attitude remains nominal. Stage 3 status good.
Stage 3 ignition. Attitude nominal.
Stage 3 TVC performing nominally, controlling the flight of the vehicle during the
Stage 3 burn.
Launch Controller: Payload separation, NuSTAR separation from Pegasus.
NuSTAR reports that the spacecraft has been acquired via TDRS.
George Diller/Launch Commentator: And we have confirmation of solar array deployment has
been started.
Launch Controller: Standby, the generation of the state vector message is in work and
will be transmitted
as soon as it's verified.
George Diller/Launch Commentator: And we've gotten confirmation through the
spacecraft team,
they've got a good lock with the TDRS spacecraft and the spacecraft is still reorienting,
getting ready to point fully into the sun point attitude. But at this point we seem
to have a successful launch,
so this will conclude our launch coverage for today. At 26 minutes,
17 seconds into the flight
of the NuSTAR spacecraft, this is Pegasus launch control.