Rocket Launching From NASA Flight Facility Will Be Visible Across East Coast

A NASA rocket launching from Virginia will be briefly visible across the East Coast (see map above or click here for times).

Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket, set to launch at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9.
Photo Credit: *NASA*

Cecilia Levine

12/05/2022 6:00 a.m.

Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket is set to launch at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9.

The mission, named “Virginia is for Launch Lovers,” will deploy radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360. The 59-foot-tall Electron rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island.

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.

The launch window for the mission is 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The backup launch days are Saturday, Dec. 10 to Tuesday, Dec. 20.

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.

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

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