NASA's InSight Mars Lander launches from California
Science
And we have now entered the hold and the T minus count, the L clock still continues.
So at the launch minus clock, we're at 18 minutes, 50 seconds until liftoff.
This is the first interplanetary launch for NASA from the west coast, but NASA is no stranger to that Atlas V rocket, which you see on your screen.
In fact, this launch of Insight on the Atlas V will be the 17th time NASA has flown a spacecraft on this rocket.
All previous NASA interplanetary missions have launched from Florida's Atlantic Coast.
Either at Cape Canaveral Air Force station or the adjacent NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
25.
Status check.
Go Alice.
Go center.
Go insight.
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We're at T-minus 15 seconds.
Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two one [SOUND] Zero [SOUND] Lift off of the Atlas five.
Launching the first interplanetary mission from the west coast and this is Insight.
The first outer space robotic explorer to study the interior of Mars.
[NOISE] [UNKNOWN]
pressures [UNKNOWN]
at this point.
[NOISE].
The [UNKNOWN]
rates continue to look good
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[UNKNOWN]
Mach 1.
The rocket is now travelling faster than the speed of sound.
[UNKNOWN]
Current altitude is 13 miles, down range distance is seven miles.
Current velocity is 1965 milers per hour.
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Current velocity 4,542 miles per hour.
You are looking at a live view from the Atlas 5 rocket.
The RD-180 engine continues to burn.
[INAUDIBLE] rates continue to look good.
RD-180 still performing well.
In a second stage engine the RL10 has ignited.
And the payload fairing that was encapsulating the inside spacecraft has been jettisoned The RL10C engine, the second stage of the Centaur, continues to burn.
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You're looking at live animation telemetry-
Rates look very good.
Of the Centaur's second stage on its flight path.
Our GN2 purge burns underway for thermal conditioning.
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And we have indication of a spaceraft separate.
That confirmation of spacecraft separation-
[APPLAUSE]
Behind us in the room, a lot of excited people.
Now I have a short coast of approximately 34 seconds before we separate [CROSSTALK].
You're looking at NASA launch manager Tim Dunn.
This will be the first pair of Cubesats to go to deep space.
They carry radio, [UNKNOWN] antennae, and propulsion system, with the goal to provide data relay to the Earth from the entry, descent, and landing phase of the InSight mission.
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And just moments away, from the first two CubeSats to deploy.
And we have the first MarCO-A spacecraft separation.
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Centaur is now spinning up.
First half of the 180 degree turn.
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Centaur has completed the turn.
Now at an attitude hold for spacecraft separation.
And we have indication of MarCO-B being deployed.
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And the second of two cubes sets has been deployed.
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