The Space Stuff thread

Antares Rocket Awaiting Liftoff on Pad-0A, Weather 90% Favorable
11 minutes ago
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, carrying its Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station, is awaiting liftoff this afternoon from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The five-minute window for launch opens at 3:21 p.m. EST today. The latest forecast stands at 90% favorable for launch, with the primary … Source

I might get to see the ascent after 2" to 2.5" but I doubt it because of high cloud cover. Wallops is 183 air miles from me.

15" to go:

4" to go

You're welcome Ken.

I only saw the first 40sec of the launch as I went out to see if I could see it and take a pix but as I thought the high clouds were in the way, even if it was clear the paper said:

The launch will be visible from the Carolinas to Connecticut, weather-permitting. To see it yourself from Pennsylvania, you’ll need a clear view of the southern sky. It will appear as a bright dot moving across the sky between 2 and 2.5 minutes after launch, though visibility will be reduced by daylight and any clouds.

I'm there by the arrow an oval:


Source

Yep punch it, an it goes!

My attempt, this is a shot looking South towards the Wallops Island direction an I didn't see any bright dots:
. . .

If launched yesterday the rendezvous was to be tomorrow but:

All Times are EST

NASA TV Coverage Set for Feb. 14 Cygnus Launch to Space Station

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket carrying a Cygnus resupply spacecraft is seen at sunrise on Pad-0A, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020
A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket carrying a Cygnus resupply spacecraft is seen at sunrise on Pad-0A, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Credits: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Editor’s note: Updates to this story, NASA TV Coverage Set for Feb. 14 Cygnus Launch to Space Station, were published on Feb. 13, 2020 and Feb. 14, 2020.

Northrop Grumman and NASA have rescheduled the Feb. 14 Antares launch attempt for the NG CRS-13 Cygnus resupply mission due to strong upper level winds. The Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft remain healthy.

The next launch attempt will be Saturday, Feb. 15 at 3:21 p.m. EST. The weather forecast calls for 95% favorable weather conditions. NASA TV coverage of the launch will begin at 2:45 p.m. EST.

A launch Saturday would result in a capture of Cygnus on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at approximately 4:05 a.m. Rendezvous and capture coverage begins at2:30 a.m. Installation coverage will begin at 6:00 a.m.

Source

And:

February 18, Tuesday
2:30 a.m. - Coverage of the Rendezvous and Capture of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus CRS-13 Cargo Craft at the International Space Station (Capture scheduled at 4:05 a.m. EST) - Johnson Space Center (All Channels)
6 a.m. - Coverage of the Installation of the Northrop Grumman Cygnus CRS-13 Cargo Craft to the International Space Station - Johnson Space Center (All Channels)

Source

A live launch is on my list but we'll see, now that I have the time it'd be nice to get away and change my scenery.