NG-14 Launch: How to Watch

Editor’s note, 10:32 p.m. Oct. 1: The Oct. 1 launch attempt of Northrop Grumman’s 14th contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station was scrubbed.

The launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft is now scheduled for Oct. 2. The five-minute launch window opens at 9:16 p.m. EDT. Liftoff will be from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The latest Wallops Launch Range forecast puts weather for a Friday attempt at 90% favorable. At this time, the main weather concern for Friday evening will be a very slight chance of cloud ceilings.

Live commentary and coverage airs on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 8:45 p.m. EDT.


NASA commercial cargo provider Northrop Grumman is targeting Thursday, Oct. 1, for the launch of its 14th resupply mission to the International Space Station. The five-minute launch window opens at 9:38 p.m. EDT.

Loaded with nearly 8,000 pounds of research, crew supplies, and hardware, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on the company’s Antares rocket from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

The latest Wallops Launch Range forecast, issued this afternoon, remains at 70% probability for favorable weather. Cloud ceilings and cloud cover are the main concerns.

The launch may be visible, weather permitting and depending on other local conditions (such as elevation), to residents up and down the East Coast of the United States.

Map of the Mid-Atlantic showing predictions for visibility of the NG CRS-14 launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The numbers in each colored circle represent the number of seconds after liftoff that the launch might become visible in the associated region. Viewing is dependent upon weather conditions and other factors, such as elevation and the extent to which one’s view of the horizon is obstructed. Credit: NASA Wallops
Credit: Northrop Grumman

Due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will be CLOSED for this launch.

Live coverage of the launch will begin at 9 p.m. EDT and air on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Live coverage and countdown commentary also will stream on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion, and Theta.TV.

Register for email updates or RSVP to NASA Wallops’ Facebook event for social media updates to stay up-to-date on mission highlights.

The Cygnus spacecraft, dubbed the SS Kalpana Chawla, will arrive at the space station Sunday, Oct. 4. Expedition 63 Commander Chris Cassidy of NASA will grapple Cygnus and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos will act as a backup. After Cygnus capture, mission control in Houston will send ground commands for the station’s robotic arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Unity module. Cygnus is scheduled to remain at the space station until mid-December, when it will depart the station. Following departure, the Saffire-V experiment will be conducted prior to Cygnus deorbit and disposing of several tons of trash during a fiery re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere approximately two weeks later.

NASA guidance on drone use
Wallops’ NG-14 notice to mariners (pdf)

25 thoughts on “NG-14 Launch: How to Watch”

    1. I as well love space, it is a very interesting topic of conversation. space holds so many answers to so many questions we as humans have, all us humans have to do is find those answers. Humans are capable of SO much within the never-ending limits of space, all you have to do is use the technology and resources around you. Anyways, i hope that someone sees this comment, and it encourages them to educate themselves and find great scientifically discoveries, and revolutionize humanity. Have a great day, stay safe, and KEEP LEARNING!

    1. I am so proud of Chris Cassidy and everyone who works with us at the International Space Station. We all support you NASA, we believe in you and we Love learning from you every day.

    1. It is not a SpaceX launch. It is a Northrop Grumman launch. SpaceX is one company that launches to the space station, Northrop Grumman is the other company that launches to the space station. These rocket boosters will not land or be reused.

  1. DEAR NASA & SPACE-X.
    TRACEDUMP ® confirms, that 4:38:33 is A WRONG TIME FOR LAUNCH. plEASE, USE 6M :11 SECONDS OFFSET TO 4:44:44!!! TRACEDUMP® CONFIRMS SUCCESSFULL LAUNCH AT 4:44:44 (I HAVE DISABLED LAUNCH AT 4:38:33 TO PREVENT ANY FAILS OR CAUSES.) USE 6:11S DELAY!

    1. This is nonesense. This isn’t even a Space-X launch, and it is launching at 9:38 PM EDT/2:38 AM UTC. Tracedump has nothing to do with this. This guy can’t disable launches. This comment should be removed.

  2. I am a retired surgeon. I taught surgical residents for years, and used the “Challenger” space craft as a teaching tool–I called it the “Challenger Principle.”
    That principle was: if you discover something just prior to an operation, and I makes you go through the mental discussion of “should I cancel this procedure”? If you discover that you are debating that issue, and you are worried about the family that is waiting in the lobby for results, and operative space in the future. Just cancel the case.
    I have used that with patients and had an upset family–“I have taken a week off work”– be upset with me.
    I have told those people that I used the “Challenger Principle.” When I begin to remind them of the Challenger story, the main thing everyone remembers is the explosion. They then calm down, and thank me for cancelling the surgery…

    1. Hi! Doc..I often wondered about that..what a Jisurgeon would do if he found a situation like that one. And wondered if surgeons second guess themselves after an operation?

  3. The link to Wallops Mission Status goes to the Feb 15 2020 launch, not tonight’s. Was wondering the elevation from the horizon in richmond va

  4. Abort at -2 min 40 seconds due to ground support equipment issue.
    They should be able reset for another launch attempt tomorrow evening at Around 9:16 pm Friday

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