Tonights rocket launch from Wallops Island is looking good as there is a 98 percent chance of favorable weather at the time of launch. Tens of millions of US East Coast residents can expect a dinnertime spectacular for the first ever nighttime launch of the commercial Orbital Sciences Corp. Launch is scheduled for 6:45 pm EDT. This will be the first nighttime launch for the Antares Rocket, which will release the Cygnus cargo spacecraft transporting some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments to the International Space Station. If you havent see a night launch coming from Wallops Island, you gotta make an effort to see this one! Look for an extremely bright object heading upward into the sky from roughly the southeast direction. Once youve found it, it will eventually fade, making you think thats it over, but dont leave. There will be a stage separation bringing the rocket back into view. There will also be a 180 second delay for our area from the launch time, so be patient and make sure to tune into NASA TV ( nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.VE4ci_nF-TM ), who is providing live coverage, and/or Wallops Island website at nasa.gov/centers/wallops/home/#.VEo9ovnF-TN prior to launch time to make sure that the launch isnt delayed for any technical issues. To get up-to-the-minute updates about the launch, follow Orbital Sciences on Twitter @OrbitalSciences and on Facebook at facebook/OrbitalSciencesCorp While you watch the rocket launch keep an eye out for the International Space Station as it flies overhead at 6:49 pm EDT providing a great viewing opportunity of the orbiting laboratory. It will appear in the West-northwest climbing higher and higher until it reaches its peak altitude of 69 degrees (thats about 7 fist-widths above the horizon with arm extended out) in the southwest at 6:52 pm. By 6:55 pm the ISS will fade away. And if that wasnt enough finish off the night looking at the picturesque pairing of the Moon and Mars in the southwest. Image #1 Credit: Orbital Sciences Image #2 Credit: Orbital Sciences Image #3 Credit: NASA/Chris Perry Image #4 Credit: Ian Livingston Image #5 Credit: Heavens Above
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 10:35:09 +0000
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