The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft will be launched on a Delta II
rocket from Launch Pad 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida.
The 21-day launch window opens on April 7, 2001, and the first launch
opportunity will be at 11:02 AM EDT. The Delta rocket will fly
up the east coast of North America, then over Europe, and
spacecraft separation from the rocket will occur over the Middle East.
The spacecraft will leave Earth at a relative
velocity of 11.5 kilometers/second, or 25,724 mph.

Detailed information on the launch is now available
on the 2001 Mars Odyssey home page:

http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/odyssey/mission/launch.html

Included on the page are:

  • How to watch launch in person (if you’re near Cape
    Canaveralin Florida), over a satellite dish, or
    over the Internet.

  • A listing of the times of all launch opportunities
    from April 7 to April 27.

  • Detailed launch sequence events including times, diagrams
    and descriptions.
  • Information on the Delta 2 rocket.

  • A simulation of the launch that allows you to preview the
    launch events prior to the real launch.