Mars Pathfinder Launch Profile Timeline
December 4, 1996 Launch Date

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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