Carrying NASA science to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, a SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for a 1:05 a.m. EST liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Watch now on NASA+, NASA TV, and the agency’s website.
Onboard Falcon 9 is Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, which holds six NASA scientific instruments and technology demonstrations, along with other commercial payloads. This is the first CLPS flight for Intuitive Machines, which is part of the Artemis campaign.
Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the primary weather concerns revolving around thick cloud coverage.
Here’s a look at the remaining of SpaceX’s countdown and ascent milestones. All times are approximate:
Countdown
Hour/Minute/Second Event
00:38:00 SpaceX launch director verifies go for propellant load
00:35:00 Rocket grade kerosene loading begins
00:35:00 1st stage liquid oxygen loading begins
00:16:00 2nd stage liquid oxygen loading begins
00:07:00 Falcon 9 begins pre-launch engine chill
00:01:00 Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00 Propellant tanks pressurize for flight
00:00:45 SpaceX launch director verifies go for launch
00:00:03 Command for engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff
Launch, Landing, and Separation
Hour/Minute/Second Event
00:01:12 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:14 1st stage main engine cutoff
00:02:17 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:25 2nd stage engine starts
00:02:30 Boostback burn starts
00:03:06 Fairing deployment
00:03:27 Boostback burn ends
00:06:11 1st stage entry burn begins
00:06:22 1st stage entry burn ends
00:07:17 1st stage landing burn start
00:07:34 1st stage landing
00:07:46 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:41:40 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:42:33 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
00:48:24 Nova-C separates from 2nd stage
