(C) NASA
This story was originally published by NASA and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



NASA Science Aboard Intuitive Machines Mission for Moon, Watch Now – Artemis [1]

[]

Date: 2024-02-15  

Carrying NASA science to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for a 1:05 a.m. EST liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Watch now on NASA+, NASA TV, and the agency’s website.

Onboard Falcon 9 is Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, which holds six NASA scientific instruments and technology demonstrations, along with other commercial payloads. This is the first CLPS flight for Intuitive Machines, which is part of the Artemis campaign.

Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the primary weather concerns revolving around thick cloud coverage.

Here’s a look at the remaining of SpaceX’s countdown and ascent milestones. All times are approximate:

Countdown

Hour/Minute/Second Event

00:38:00 SpaceX launch director verifies go for propellant load

00:35:00 Rocket grade kerosene loading begins

00:35:00 1st stage liquid oxygen loading begins

00:16:00 2nd stage liquid oxygen loading begins

00:07:00 Falcon 9 begins pre-launch engine chill

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

00:01:00 Propellant tanks pressurize for flight

00:00:45 SpaceX launch director verifies go for launch

00:00:03 Command for engine ignition sequence to start

  Falcon 9 liftoff

Launch, Landing, and Separation

Hour/Minute/Second Event

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

00:02:14 1st stage main engine cutoff

00:02:17 1st and 2nd stages separate

00:02:25 2nd stage engine starts

00:02:30 Boostback burn starts

00:03:06 Fairing deployment

00:03:27 Boostback burn ends

00:06:11 1st stage entry burn begins

00:06:22 1st stage entry burn ends

00:07:17 1st stage landing burn start

00:07:34 1st stage landing

00:07:46 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)

00:41:40 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)

00:42:33 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)

00:48:24 Nova-C separates from 2nd stage

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2024/02/15/nasa-science-aboard-intuitive-machines-mission-for-moon-watch-now/

Published and (C) by NASA
Content appears here under this condition or license: Public Domain.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/nasa/