Observers who train binoculars on the shuttleshould be able to see its tiny V-shaped contrail. Based on previous night missions, thebrightness should be at least equal to magnitude -2 rivaling Sirius, thebrightest star in brilliance. It should appear as a very bright, pulsating, fast-moving star,shining with a yellowish-orange glow. 9, 2006(the STS-116 mission).Īfter the solid rocket boosters are jettisoned, Endeavour will bevisible for most locations by virtue of the light emanating from its three mainengines. ?For an example of what all this looks like from Florida, see videoof a night launch made by Rob Haas from Titusville, FL, on Dec. The brilliant light emitted by the two solid rocket boosters willbe visible for the first 2 minutes and 4 seconds of the launch out to a radiusof some 520 statute miles from the Kennedy Space Center ? an area more thanthree times the size of Texas.ĭepending on where you are located relative to Cape Canaveral, Endeavourwill become visible anywhere from a few seconds to just over 2 minutes after itleaves Pad 39-A. ?But if weather or technical constraints were todelay that mid-summer launch by about a week, then it too would be launchedprior to sunrise and the first light of dawn, also making it a night launch.Odds are probably long for that scenario to happen however, so this Sunday willlikely be the last nighttime launch of a space shuttle. 29 launch just a littleover an hour after sunrise. Interestingly, however, STS-134, which will also be Endeavour'sfinal planned flight, is currently scheduled for a Jul. Two of these are scheduled to be launched during earlyafternoon, and one during the midday hours. A map shows the area of visibility.Īfter this mission, there will be just four more flights leftbefore the shuttle program finally comes to a close (tentatively set forSeptember 2010). East Coast,and the glow of the shuttle's engines will be visible along much of the EasternSeaboard. As has been the case with other launches to the ISS, Sunday'sliftoff will bring the shuttle's path nearly parallel to the U.S.