Coast Phase Continues

Still image from an animation depicting the Centaur upper stage, with the Solar Orbiter spacecraft still attached, during the coast phase. — Still image from an animation depicting the Centaur upper stage, with the Solar Orbiter spacecraft still attached, during the coast phase. Image credit: NASA TV

As the Centaur upper stage continues its coast phase, its onboard reaction control thrusters are firing periodically to keep propellants settled in the bottom of their tanks in anticipation of the start of the Centaur’s second and final burn.