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| SIRTF/Delta-II-rocket launch ignition (aft-view); night launch. At ignition, the main liquid engine plus 6 of the 9 solid-rocket boosters (SRBs) are started. |
 | SIRTF/Delta-II-rocket launch lift-off (aft-view) |
 | SIRTF/Delta-II-rocket launch during water-deluging while clearing the tower (aft-view) |
 | SIRTF/Delta-II-rocket ground-lit-SRB separation (aft-view), shortly after rocket goes supersonic. The residue from the water-deluging is still not yet fully evaporated. The 3 remaining "air-lit" SRBs ignite. |
 | Just before air-lit-SRB separation at about 100,000-ft altitude (aft-view). |
 | Air-lit-SRB separation (aft-view) |
 | Air-lit-SRB separation (aft-view); spent motor casing illuminated by main-engine exhaust plume (note the two high-temperature regions of the plume). |
 | First-stage separation (aft-view); second-stage engine ignition (foreground shows still-venting thermal blankets around propulsion tanks). |
 | SIRTF just before separation from the second stage (forward-view); gold areas are edge-on views of solar panels |