Author: Anna Heiney

Note: If you are having trouble with the videos, try viewing the blog at https://blogs.nasa.gov/osiris-rex (without the ‘S’ in http). This video issue stems from firewall settings at various locales.

The Centaur and the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft are still joined as they continue in the first coast phase. It’s been 26 minutes since the Atlas V rocket carrying OSIRIS-REx lifted off from Space Launch Complex 41. The Atlas V first stage performed well and handed off to the Centaur upper stage, which completed its first of two burns. The next is coming up.

Image from NASA TV

The Centaur engine has cut off after its successful first burn. The vehicle will coast for about 22 and a half minutes before the Centaur’s second and final burn.

Now nine minutes into the flight, Centaur’s RL-10 engine continues to perform well.

Image from NASA TV

Booster engine cut off and booster separation. The Centaur engine has taken over and will handle the rest of the job of delivering OSIRIS-REx to its release point. This is the first of two burns the Centaur will perform tonight.

The payload fairing covering OSIRIS-REx has been jettisoned.

The single solid rocket booster has been jettisoned and the first-stage RD-180 engine continues to burn. Next major milestone: booster engine cutoff.

The rocket has passed Mach 1 and is now flying through Max Q.

Liftoff! The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is climbing toward space with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on a mission to boldly go to the asteroid Bennu — and back.