Sunset Rocket Launch May Be Visible Tonight

Put down that remote, because there's a chance you will witness a spectacular reality show right in your own backyard tonight.

NASA is preparing to launch a new military satellite from its launch range at the Wallops Flight Facility and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia at 8:28 p.m. EDT. 

The launch may be visible, depending on cloud cover and location, from southern New York to North Carolina.  So, look to the southeast for a contrail that might be visible just minutes after an on-time launch.  There is a Tuesday window from 8:28 p.m. – 11:28 p.m.

According to NASA’s website, there is a 70 percent chance weather may ground this rocket for the moment.

The U.S. Air Force’s Minotaur 1 rocket is carrying the Department of Defense’s Operationally Responsive Space office’s ORS-1 satellite.  According to NASA, it’s 70 feet tall and 5 feet wide, and it’s “an important step to demonstrate the capability to meet emerging and persistent war-fighter needs.”

For information on the mission and where to look for status updates go to: 
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/missions/orsinfo.html