There’s Another Chance to See a NASA Rocket Over the SouthCoast This Month

SouthCoast residents will have another chance to see a NASA rocket launch from Virginia later this month.

Unlike last month's launch that was visible across the night sky along much of the East Coast, NASA's upcoming launch will be bright and early, but is certainly something worth waking up early for! Northrop Grumman's Minotaur 1 rocket will launch from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on June 15 at 7 a.m. Brew yourself a cup of coffee, bring a blanket and head outside to watch the rocket (hopefully) make an appearance over the SouthCoast.

According to NASA, the rocket should be visible across the SouthCoast and the rest of Massachusetts for anywhere between 60 to 90 seconds after takeout, weather permitting. The Weather Channel forecasts that, as of June 9, New Bedford should see a mix of clouds and sunshine on launch day, so hopefully it only continues to clear up as the big day approaches.

After a week of scheduling, scrubbing and rescheduling launches for the KiNet-X mission at the beginning of May, NASA was finally able to launch the rocket on May 16. Skies across the SouthCoast were clear that night, and Annette Ball DeMaris from Mattapoisett even captured the spectacle on her iPhone.

DeMaris said she and her husband had gone out to Ned's Point every night that week in anticipation of the launch, and their dedication finally paid off.

"It finally happened," Ball DeMaris said. "I feel very lucky to see it and catching a few pictures with my iPhone was a bonus."