Key Milestones for Today’s Europa Clipper Launch

NASA's Europa Clipper mission is ready to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, pictured here just before sunrise on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: SpaceX

We're a little under two hours away from today's launch of NASA's Europa Clipper mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Here's a closer look at some of today's important countdown and ascent milestones (all times are approximate):

Time Events
- 00:53:00 Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
- 00:50:00 1st stage RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
- 00:45:00 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
- 00:35:00 2nd stage RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
- 00:18:30 2nd stage LOX loading begins
- 00:07:00 Falcon Heavy begins engine chill
- 00:00:59 Flight computer commanded to begin final prelaunch checks
- 00:00:45 Launch Director verifies go for launch
- 00:00:20 Propellant tanks pressurize for flight
- 00:00:06 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00 Falcon Heavy liftoff
00:01:07 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:03:03 Side boosters engine cutoff (BECO)
00:03:07 Side boosters separate
00:04:02 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:04:06 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:04:13 2nd stage engine starts (SES)
00:04:31 Fairing deployment
00:07:53 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:47:40 2nd stage engine starts (SES-2)
00:50:56 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-2)
01:02:12 Europa Clipper deploys

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