Category: OSIRIS-REx

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.

One minute to go. Eastern Range is ‘go.’

Two minutes remaining in the countdown. The Atlas V rocket is on internal power. The launch team’s primary communications channels are quiet as the final minutes tick by.