The launch was planned for <time datetime="2004-04-19">19 April 2004</time> at Vandenberg Air Force Base but was scrubbed within 5 minutes of the scheduled launch window due to changing winds in the upper atmosphere. An unusual feature of the mission is that it only had a one-second launch window due to the precise orbit required by the experiment. On <time datetime="2004-04-20 09:57:23-07:00">20 April, at 9:57:23 AM</time> PDT (<time datetime="2004-04-20 16:57:23Z">16:57:23</time> UTC) the spacecraft was launched successfully. The satellite was placed in orbit at <time datetime="2004-04-20 11:12:33-07:00">11:12:33</time> AM (<time datetime="2004-04-20 18:12:33Z">18:12:33</time> UTC) after a cruise period over the south pole and a short second burn. The mission lasted 16 months.