NASA Rocket Launch May Be Visible In PA Skies Tuesday: See Where

PENNSYLVANIA — A NASA rocket launch planned for Tuesday may be visible in Pennsylvania skies as it takes off from a launch pad in Virginia for a resupply mission to the International Space Station, said NASA.

The Antares rocket will carry supplies to the International Space Station via the Cygnus spacecraft, according to NASA.. This 139-foot-tall rocket is manufactured by Northrop Grumman, which is targeting 8:31 p.m. Tuesday for the launch from the Wallops Flight Facility.

“Northrop Grumman’s 19th contracted cargo resupply mission with NASA to the International Space Station will deliver more than 8,200 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew,” said NASA.

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, weather for the mission appears favorable, and NASA's Wallops Flight Facility has been counting down the hours. Antares will have "fresh fruit, a pizza kit, and assorted cheeses for the astronauts" on board — as well as research from a number of experiments, NASA said.

Many residents in the Mid-Atlantic should be able to see the rocket in the first few minutes after lift off, if weather conditions are favorable. It will appear in the skies to the southeast, as it lifts off from Wallops Island.

In Pennsylvania, residents are expected to have a line-of-sight view of Antares between one minute and three minutes after takeoff.

Residents in Philadelphia and the far southeast corner of the Keystone State can see it approximately 60-90 seconds after takeoff.

Residents of eastern Pennsylvania north of Philly and up past Allentown, and some in central Pennsylvania, may be able to see Antares between 90 seconds and two minutes after takeoff. Those in far northeast and west-central Pennsylvania can see the rocket between two minutes and 150 seconds after takeoff.

And, residents in the Pittsburgh area and in southeastern Pennsylvania may see the rocket between 150 seconds and three minutes after it takes off, according to NASA.

Live coverage of the rocket launch will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website, as well as YouTube, Twitter, and the NASA App.