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Mars Pathfinder Launch Profile Timeline
December 4, 1996 Launch Date

mpfcruise.html mars.html #second engine restart #seco2 #third stage ignition #third stage cutoff #third stage sep #seco1 #launch Launch Profile Diagram

Click on an event above, and it will take you to the correct place in the table below.

Event

Event Time
(hh:mm:ss)

Event Time
(UTC)

Event Time
(EST)

Event Time
(PST)

Stage 1 Liftoff

00:00:00.000

6:58:07

1:58:07

22:58:07

Mach Number=1

00:00:32.216

6:58:39

1:58:39

22:58:39

Maximum Dynamic Pressure

00:00:49.305

6:58:56

1:58:56

22:58:56

Ground Lit (6) Soild Motors Burnout

00:01:03.120

6:59:10

1:59:10

22:59:10

Air Lit Solid Motors Ignition

00:01:05.500

6:59:12

1:59:12

22:59:12

Jettison 3 Ground Lit Solid Motor Casings

00:01:06.000

6:59:13

1:59:13

22:59:13

Jettison 3 Ground Lit Solid Motor Casings

00:01:07.000

6:59:14

1:59:14

22:59:14

Air Lit (3) Solid Motors Burnout

00:02:08.820

7:00:16

2:00:16

23:00:16

Jettison 3 Air Lit Solid Motor Casings

00:02:11.500

7:00:18

2:00:18

23:00:18

Main Engine Cutoff (MECO)

00:04:20.664

7:02:28

2:02:28

23:02:28

Vernier Engine Cutoff

00:04:26.664

7:02:34

2:02:34

23:02:34

Stage I-II Separation

00:04:28.664

7:02:36

2:02:36

23:02:36

Stage II Ignition

00:04:34.164

7:02:41

2:02:41

23:02:41

Jettison Fairing

00:04:39.000

7:02:46

2:02:46

23:02:46

First Cutoff - Stage II (SECO-1)

00:09:28.372

7:07:35

2:07:35

23:07:35

Restart Stage II

01:06:22.383

8:04:29

3:04:29

0:04:29

Enter Sun Occultation

01:06:52.456

8:04:59

3:04:59

0:04:59

Second Cutoff - Stage II (SECO-2)

01:07:54.270

8:06:01

3:06:01

0:06:01

Fire Spin Rockets

01:08:44.270

8:06:51

3:06:51

0:06:51

Jettison Stage II

01:08:47.360

8:06:54

3:06:54

0:06:54

Stage III Ignition

01:09:24.780

8:07:32

3:07:32

0:07:32

Stage III Burnout

01:10:52.360

8:08:59

3:08:59

0:08:59

Initiate Yo-Yo Despin

01:15:30.500

8:13:37

3:13:37

0:13:37

Jettison Stage III

01:15:35.480

8:13:42

3:13:42

0:13:42

Goldstone Initial Acquisition

01:18:17.000

8:16:24

3:16:24

0:16:24

Targeting Interface Point

01:19:24.780

8:17:32

3:17:32

0:17:32

Exit Sun Occultation

01:37:40.819

8:35:48

3:35:48

0:35:48

Please note: Italicized times indicate that local launch date is one day earlier than UTC launch date

MET=Mission Elapsed Time (in seconds)

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