** This post has been updated to include the NASA TV video of the launch.
If you live on the east coast of the United States there is a possibility on the night of September 6 you may see NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) mission launch out of Wallops Flight Facility.
LADEE is a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the lunar atmosphere, conditions near the surface and environmental influences on lunar dust. A thorough understanding of these characteristics will address long-standing unknowns, and help scientists understand other planetary bodies, such as Mercury, outer planets’ moons, and larger asteroids
That’s right, we don’t know everything about the moon, so we’re going back to study it some more.
The LADEE spacecraft will be launched on a Minotaur V vehicle during a five-day launch period that opens on Sept. 6, 2013.
Here’s an excellent map of where you need to be to see LADEE start its journey.
Visibility will depend on weather, you also stand a better chance of seeing it being high off the ground. This page has a ton of viewing maps to show you what direction to look in to see the rocket in the sky. New Yorkers have a sweet opportunity to check out the launch at Times Square:
Live NASA TV launch coverage also will be broadcast on the Toshiba Vision screen in New York’s Times Square from 10:30 p.m. Sept. 6 to 1 a.m. Sept. 7. The Toshiba Vision screen is positioned directly below the world-famous New Year’s Eve Ball on One Times Square. Visitors to Times Square, and around the world, can hear live audio of the broadcast by tuning into Third Rock Radio. Third Rock Radio can be streamed from the NASA homepage, and on smart phones and tablets through the Tuneln mobile app.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday, Sept. 6: Launch Day
9:30 p.m. EDT: Live launch coverage on NASA TV
9:30-11:35 p.m. EDT: Prelaunch webcast on NASA EDGE
11:27 p.m. EDT: Launch
Saturday, Sept. 7
Approximately two hours after the launch: Post-launch news conference on NASA TV
The LADEE (pronounced laddie) mission will take 30 days to travel to the moon, then take 30 days for checkout, and then last 100 days for science operations.
Got questions? Check out this highly informative LADEE press-kit. NASA will be watching out for tweets using #askNASA.