Spaceflight101 LIVE

@Spaceflight101 Live Feed - Real-Time Play-by-Play of major Spaceflight Events, focused on Technical Aspects. For Space Station Live Coverage, go to @ISS101.

[ESA Operations @esaoperations]

#Sentinal3 B Flight Control Team report that the spacecraft has stabilised herself and is in "Sun Pointing Phase" - everything nominal!

[ESA Operations @esaoperations]

First reports from the team confirm #Sentinel3 B is in expected condition. The automatic sequence that started once the spacecraft was released from the BreezeKM upper stage was so far successful. Ready to swap to Svalbard ground station. All hands on deck!

[ESA Operations @esaoperations]

FIRST COMMAND SUCCESSFUL! The Spacecraft Controller in #ESOC has sent the first command to #Sentinel3 B. Flight operations are now fully under way!

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

#Sentinel3B is in initialization mode, detected the separation from the Briz-KM and initiated the deployment of its power-generating solar array.

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

Acquisition of Signal! #Sentinel3B is alive and in orbit after today's #Rockot launch. Teams at ESOC are now checking whether it is in the target orbit and going through initial health evaluations. https://t.co/kTm1jl7XdV

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

#Sentinel3B should now be flying on its own, going through a series of automated steps to stabilize its three-axis orientation and switch on its transmitter. AOS through Kiruna in less than 15 minutes to confirm launch success.

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

Briz-KM is planned to conduct its 33-second orbit circularization at T+75 minutes. It has been out of communications since T+8 minutes (as expected) -- confirmation of launch outcome once #Sentinel3B checks in through the Kiruna station after separation. https://t.co/kTm1jlpy5t

[ESA Operations @esaoperations]

The #ESTRACK #Kiruna station in northern Sweden has configured for the first contact with #Sentinel3 B. Still 30 minutes to wait until we have our initial AoS

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

Briz-KM should be concluding its first main engine burn at this time, entering a coast phase of 60.5 minutes to climb all the way up to the high point of its elliptical parking orbit for the circularization maneuver. Next comm pass occurs at T+70 minutes. #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

Briz-KM is now out of communications range. Still 3.5 minutes to go in this burn. #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

T+8 Minutes: Briz-KM is now departing the range of the Russian Tracking Network. Kiruna, Sweden is still tracking for another two minutes but will also lose signal before the end of the first burn. #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

IGNITION of the Briz-KM upper stage confirmed, starting the first of two main engine burns planned during today's mission. This nine-minute burn is expected to transition the stack from a sub-orbital arc into an elliptical transfer orbit of around 153 x 785 Kilometers #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

SHUTDOWN of the Second Stage & SEPARATION of the Briz-KM Upper Stage has been confirmed. Standing by for vernier & main engine ignition. #Rockot #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

Now 120 Kilometers in altitude, Rockot split open and separated its 2.6-meter diameter fairing halves as aerodynamic forces can no-longer harm the #Sentinel3B satellite.

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

IGNITION of the RD-0235 Stage 2 main engine is confirmed. Starting out at a speed of 3.2 km/s, the second stage will fire for three minutes to accelerate the vehicle to 5.7 km/s. #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

First stage SHUTDOWN & STAGE SEPARATION confirmed. Standing by for confirmation of second stage Main Engine Start. Altitude 68 Kilometers. https://t.co/kTm1jl7XdV #Rockot #Sentinel3B

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

Climbing out of the dense atmosphere, thrust on the first stage increases to 211,000kgf. Thirty seconds to hot-staging,completed by igniting the Stage 2 vernier three seconds before first stage cutoff. Stage 1 has four retro-motors to clear Stage 2 for main engine start. #Rockot

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

MaxQ - Rockot has passed the speed of sound and is now encountering Maximum Aerodynamic Pressure. Altitude: 10.7 Kilometers, Speed: 570 m/s. Flight is reported nominal.

[Spaceflight101 LIVE @S101_Live]

LIFTOFF! A Russian Rockot Booster streaks into the evening skies over the Plesetsk Cosmodrome to lift the #Sentinel3B satellite to orbit as the seventh member of Europe's prime Earth Observation fleet. https://t.co/kTm1jl7XdV