Rocket Lab's first electron launch moved to Friday

According to a post on the Wallops Flight Facility web site, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will support the launch of Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket from Virginia at 6 p.m. EST, 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.

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

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 may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout much of the east coast of the United States.

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. WESR will broadcast the countdown beginning at 5:40 p.m. Friday.