Mars 2001 Odyssey Launch Injection Phase

Sixty-six seconds after launch, the first three solid rocket boosters will be discarded followed by the next three boosters one second later. The final three boosters are jettisoned two minutes, 11 seconds after launch. About four minutes, 24 seconds after liftoff, the first stage will stop firing and be discarded eight seconds later. About five seconds later, the second stage engine ignites. The fairing or nose cone will be discarded four minutes, 41 seconds after launch. The first burn of the second stage engine occurs at 10 minutes, three seconds after launch.

At this point the vehicle is in low Earth orbit at an altitude of 189 kilometers (117 miles). Depending on the actual launch day and time the vehicle will then coast for several minutes, once it is in the correct point in its orbit, the second stage will be restarted at 24 minutes, 32 seconds after launch.

Small rockets will then be fired to spin up the third stage on a turntable attached to the second stage. The third stage will separate and ignite its motor, sending the spacecraft out of Earth orbit. A nutation control system (a thruster on an arm mounted on the side of the third stage) will be used to maintain stability during this the third stage burn. After that, the spinning upper stage and the attached 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft must be despun so that the spacecraft can be separated and acquire its proper cruise orientation. This is accomplished by a set of weights that are reeled out from the side of the spinning vehicle on flexible lines, much as spinning ice skaters slow themselves by extending their arms. Odyssey will separate from the Delta third stage about 33 minutes after launch. Any remaining spin will be removed using the orbiter's onboard thrusters.