3:40 PM | **4:50PM UPDATE - LAUNCH ABORTED FOR TODAY** Wallops Island "largest rocket ever" launch at 5PM could be visible here

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UPDATE (4:50PM): LAUNCH ABORTED FOR TODAY

Assuming acceptable cloud conditions, there will be a rocket launch early this evening at NASA’s Wallops Island Facility that should be visible up and down the east coast. Orbital Sciences’ Antares rocket is scheduled to launch at 5PM from the Wallops Island facility, but the launch window extends to 8PM. This will be the first launch of the Antares rocket, the first orbital launch of a liquid-fueled rocket from Wallops Island, and the largest ever launched there at 133 feet tall. According to an executive with the company “it is going to be the biggest and loudest and brightest thing that’s ever been launched from Wallops!” If the launch does occur, look at about 10 degrees above the horizon in the southeast sky if in DC, and in the southern sky if in Philly or New York City. This rocket is being launched as part of a test mission with the goal of transporting cargo to the International Space Station. Real-time launch updates are available on the Wallops Island Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/NASAWFF Latest cloud cover conditions look quite favorable for the scheduled launch at 5PM.