The launch of SIRTF, 2003 August 25, 1:35 EDT

Here are Dan's favorite views of the launch, in the form of QuickTime videos; click on the thumbnail images to run them.

	This is a very nice simulation of the launch, which has the virtue of showing closeups of the entire multi-stage rocket-firing and orbit insertion sequences.
	The actual launch, on a Delta 7920H-10L vehicle. (That is, a Delta 2 first and second stage, with nine Delta 3 strap-on solid rocket motors, and the largest payload fairing.) The view switches back and forth between a camera on the second stage that looks back toward the first stage, and a set of cameras on the ground.

Lots more launch videos can be found on the Spitzer Space Telescope website, here.

SIRTF was the 300th launch in the famous Delta series that started with the (failed) launch of Echo 1 in May 1960. Learn all about the Delta launch vehicles and missions on Kevin Forsyth's site, http://kevinforsyth.net/delta/ .