UPDATE, 5:50 p.m. – The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket launch scheduled for Sunday from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility was scrubbed due to off-nominal data from the ground support equipment. No new launch date has been set.
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The weather forecast looks just about perfect to be able to see from everywhere in northeastern North Carolina a rocket launching from the Virginia Eastern Shore on its way to the International Space Station
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is scheduled for liftoff at 5:39 p.m. EST, Sunday, February 9, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.
The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region and possibly the East Coast of the United States.
It will appear like a pin-prick of light with an exhaust trail moving across the northeast sky about 90 seconds after launch when viewed from the Outer Banks.
This will be Northrop Grumman’s 13th commercial resupply services mission to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station
If you want to make the drive up to the Chincoteague area, the NASA Visitor Center at Wallops opens at 1:30 p.m. on launch day for public viewing.
Additional locations for catching the launch are Robert Reed Park on Chincoteague Island or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The beach at the Assateague Island National Seashore/Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will not be open during the launch.
Visitors are reminded that alcohol, pets and firearms are not allowed on the NASA Visitor Center grounds. Also, because of limited parking, over-size vehicles such as campers and recreational vehicles will not be able to park on the Visitor Center grounds.
For more information about the Visitor Center, including directions, see: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/visitorcenter
If you can’t make it to the Wallops area to view the launch you can still partake in the experience through the Wallops Mission Status Center. There you will find information about the mission and links to live countdown audio as well as live video of the launch. Live coverage of the mission is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. on the Wallops video and audio Ustream sites.
The Status Center can be reached using a smartphone, computer or tablet using most web browsers. By clicking the tracking link on the Status Center, you can find when you may be able to see the rocket in flight and use your device to find the viewing direction to see the rocket streak across the evening sky.
Launch updates will be available via the Wallops Facebook and Twitter pages.
Launch coverage on NASA TV will begin at 5 p.m. EST. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
For more information about International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station
Get more information about Northrop Grumman, its Antares rocket and the Cygnus cargo spacecraft at: http://www.nasa.gov/northropgrumman
