Rocket Lab's new rocket Electron is scheduled to lift off no earlier than Thursday, December 15, from Mid-Atlantic Coast and the rocket is expected by visible in the night sky across the large part of the East when clouds would not interfere with the view.
According to Weatherboy, the California-based commercial launching company is preparing to launch its first-ever rocket from NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. this is now their second attempt after the cancellation of their original launch date on December 9 due to weather and range concerns.
Rocket Lab's Electron rocket lifts off from its launch site in Mahia, on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island on May 25, 2017. New Zealand joined the exclusive space-race club on May 25 with the successful launch of a Rocket Lab test craft named Electron.
'Bright, Fast-Moving Star' is Rocket Lab's Electron
The Electron rocket will create a fiery streak that will be visible for three minutes in Mid-Atlantic states, eastern Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio after its launch. NASA said that those on the East Coast may catch a glimpse of the rocket's flight on Thursday night if the weather permits it.
The space agency added that it might look like a "bright, fast-moving" star climbing upward through the night sky when viewed from a distance. The Virginian-Pilot reports that the launch window of 6 to 8 pm on December 15 was set at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in eastern Virginia.
It will be the first time the Rocket Lab's Electron spacecraft will launch on US soil, carrying radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360. Rocket Lab has been launching small satellites on its Electron rockets from New Zealand since 2017 and is now targeting to launch from the US.
Rocket launches from Wallops Flight Facility usually generate bizarre atmospheric effects on the East Coast, such as the green and violet spherical clouds that were sometimes mistaken for extraterrestrial presence. But experts explain that this is only a result of barium vapors released by multistage rockets.
How To Watch Electron Rocket's Launch
The following Electron rocket mission this week in the US marks a significant expansion of Rocket Lab's business. The mission, called Virginia is for Launch Lovers, will see the company use its workhorse Electron rocket to deploy six satellites to low Earth orbit.
Rocket Lab says that since they now have a second launch facility, they can now support more than 130 missions every for government and commercial satellite operators. In the coming years, the company will use the same US launch location for its next-generation and more powerful Neutron rocket that is currently under development.
To watch its first US launch this week, Digital Trends reports that viewers could watch its live stream via Rocket Lab's website or YouTube channel, which will be showing the same feed.
The launch was delayed due to poor weather conditions so make sure to follow Rocket Lab on Twitter to know more updates and the latest information regarding this week's launch.
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Check out more news and information on Rocket Lab in Science Times.
