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Stage 2 Ignites!

This 15 second exposure starts around 4 minutes, 35 seconds into the NASA OCO-2 satellite launch last week, as the Delta's first stage cuts off and the second stage ignites:

3:01 a.m.
– T+plus 4 minutes, 39 seconds. MECO. The first stage main engine cutoff is confirmed and the spent stage has been jettisoned.
– T+plus 4 minutes, 44 seconds. The Delta's second stage has ignited! The engine is up and running.
– T+plus 4 minutes, 51 seconds. The rocket's nose cone enclosing the satellite payload has been jettisoned.

I was actually just about to reposition the camera to get the trees out of the way as OCO-2 flew towards them, and I decided to grab one quick shot including +Lori Hibbett in the foreground before I did.

I've created a new album of sequential detail photos from the launch on G+ here: https://plus.google.com/photos/+JeffreySullivan/albums/6034450980809636577
Google+ created a GIF in the new album animating the Stage 1 to Stage 2 transition as well.

I've also associated the photos with the launch sequence in a blog post here:
http://activesole.blogspot.com/2014/07/NASA-oco2-launch-sequence-NASASocial.html
#space   #science   #news   #NASA   #OCO2   #NASAsocial  

This 15 second exposure starts around 4 minutes, 40 seconds into the OCO-2 satellite launch last week, as the Delta’s first stage cuts off and the second stage ignites:

*3:01 a.m. local (6:01 a.m. EDT; 1001 GMT)*
T+plus 4 minutes, 39 seconds. MECO. The first stage main engine cutoff is confirmed and the spent stage has been jettisoned.

T+plus 4 minutes, 44 seconds. The Delta’s second stage has ignited! The engine is up and running.

T+plus 4 minutes, 51 seconds. The rocket’s nose cone enclosing the satellite payload has been jettisoned.

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Comments

52 thoughts on “Stage 2 Ignites!”

  1. It seems like no one ever gets the second stage, what a terrific shot! I'm glad you got this one with the tree and Lori in the frame, keeps the human connection intact. Heading over to the gallery now to enjoy more shots, thanks so much for sharing them with us!

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