3:01 PM: We’re at South Seattle College‘s Brockey Center (southeast side of campus) with astronomy educator Alice Enevoldsen to watch the Artemis II Moon-flyby-mission launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, still on for a launch window that opens at 3:24 pm our time. If you’re nearby, come on over – this is on three huge screens.
3:14 PM: The countdown is paused at 10 minutes while the launch team at KSC does some technical checks.
3:25 PM: After polling various key personnel – including the astronauts – regarding readiness, they’ve started the “terminal count” (10 minutes to go, at 3:25 pm if all goes well). Today’s launch window – if they have any other reason to pause – is until 5:24 pm our time.
(Alice and others watching liftoff)
3:38 PM: And off they went, with a successful launch, cheered by those gathered here; the astronauts are now traveling at 15,000 miles an hour, and as Alice explained, passed the most dangerous part of the early going, when they hit “Max Q.”
3:48 PM: All’s still well. Alice is explaining key points of the mission – first they’re heading into Earth orbit; they’re expected to fly by the Moon on Day 5 of the planned 10-day mission. We’re headed back to HQ, where we’ll add video of the liftoff excitement. (Update: Added.)
| 5 COMMENTS