NASA rocket launch to streak over mid-Atlantic Tuesday. Here’s who might see it

A large swath of the mid-Atlantic states — including North Carolina’s Outer Banks — could see a blazing streak in the sky Tuesday, as a rocket ascends to the International Space Station, NASA says.

“The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region and possibly the East Coast of the United States,” NASA officials said in a release.

Beachgoers from North Carolina to Maryland may have the best views. A NASA map shows the rocket will be most visible in eastern counties from Central North Carolina to southern New York.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the Outer Banks reported Tuesday that visitors should be able to see the launch from beaches in the national park.

The Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket will launch at 5:56 p.m. from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in southern Virginia, NASA said in a Facebook post. That’s if weather permits it to stay on schedule — and it often doesn’t.

The rocket is taking a load of science and technology equipment to the space station, which is orbiting “about 200 miles over the Earth, traveling 17,500 miles an hour,” NASA says.

Wallops typically alerts the public in advance of its launches, because some are known to produce colorful atmospheric effects (red and pink orbs) that are often mistaken for UFOs.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant, Wallops won’t be allowing anyone on its grounds for close-up views of the launch.

NASA TV will provide live coverage of the launch via streaming video. For NASA TV down link and scheduling information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.

This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 10:14 AM.