Watch Animation Of How The Boeing Starliner Launches To Space
This animation shows Boeing Starliner launching to space on board a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Starliner is one of two spacecraft built to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station.
Credit: Boeing
Credit: Boeing
Transcript
00:00Ascent begins at T-0, liftoff, the end of the countdown, and the beginning of the mission.
00:20Shortly afterwards, at T-12 seconds, the rocket rolls, lining up Starliner with its target
00:26orbit and putting the astronauts in a heads-up position.
00:30Then around T-40 seconds, Max Q starts, that's also known as Max Aerodynamic Pressure.
00:37This is a critical time when the atmospheric forces reach their highest.
00:41Next, at about plus 1 minute 35 seconds, the two solid rocket boosters run out of fuel
00:48and burn out, and about a minute later they separate from the booster.
00:52The Atlas booster engine continues to burn for almost 2 more minutes.
00:57Then at approximately plus 4.30, booster engine cutoff, or BECO.
01:02About 5 seconds later, the booster separates and so does the ascent cover on top of Starliner.
01:09At around 4 minutes 45 seconds, the Centaur upper stage ignites, continuing the push to
01:14orbital speeds.
01:16Then a little after 5 minutes, Starliner is free of the atmosphere and doesn't need
01:20additional aerodynamic support, and the aero skirt is jettisoned.
01:26After a long 6 plus minute push from Centaur, main engine cutoff, or MECO, happens around
01:3212 minutes after liftoff.
01:35Then when Centaur successfully separates almost 15 minutes after launch, ULA's job is done.
01:41But Starliner is not quite in orbit yet.
01:45After a 16 minute coast, Starliner ignites 4 of its Orbital Maneuvering and Attitude
01:50Control, or OMAC engines, for the orbital insertion burn, and then 31 minutes after
01:55liftoff, the ascent profile is complete.