Wallops Island Rocket Launch Delayed A Day, Should Be Visible In MD

Updated at 7:10 p.m. Sunday

MARYLAND — Residents across Maryland may see a 59-foot-tall Electron rocket on its way to deploy satellites in space after it lifts off from a NASA facility in Virginia Tuesday night.

The Electron, made by Rocket Lab USA, was originally scheduled to launch from Wallops Flight Facility in early December. Weather concerns and launch logistics kept people from seeing the first Electron launch from Wallops until the new year.

The updated launch date and time for this project, which NASA calls “Virginia is for Launch Lovers," is 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Due to unfavorable weather conditions in the Wallops area on Monday, Jan. 23, the launch was pushed back a day. Weather for Tuesday is 90 percent favorable for the evening launch window.

Back-up launch dates are also scheduled, NASA said.

The rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The mission will deploy radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360.

The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout much of the East Coast.

"From a distance, Electron will appear like a bright, fast-moving star climbing upward through the night sky," the Wallops Flight Facility said.

Viewing locations on Chincoteague Island include Robert Reed Park on Main Street or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations.

The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will be open for this launch, and will open at 4 p.m. on Jan. 24.

"With this mission, NASA is helping foster a growing low-Earth space economy and continues Wallops' 35-year history of support to the commercial launch industry," NASA said.

A live webcast will stream at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream about 40 minutes before launch.