NG 12 MISSION TO THE ISS SCHEDULED FOR LAUNCH AT 9:59 A.M. TODAY

Photo Courtesy: NASA/Bill Ingalls

If all goes as planned, the NASA Wallops Flight Facility will launch NG-12, the eleventh flight to the International Space Station. NG 12 will consist of a Cygnus delivery vehicle named after the late astronaut Alan Bean. The Alan Bean will contain approximately 8200 lbs. of cargo to the International Space Station. The cargo will set a new record for the heaviest payload launched by a commercial resupply ship.

The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops opens at 6 a.m. on launch day for public viewing. Additional locations for catching the launch are Robert Reed Park on Chincoteague Island or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The beach at the Assateague Island National Seashore/Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge will not be open during the launch.

Visitors are reminded that alcohol, pets, and firearms are not allowed on the NASA Visitor Center grounds. Also, because of limited parking, over-size vehicles such as campers and recreational vehicles will not be able to park on the Visitor Center grounds.

Wallops Island Road will close at 5 a.m. and Arbuckle Neck Road will close at 7 a.m. In addition, stopping on Rt. 175 the Chincoteague Causeway will not be permitted to view the launch.

WESR will pick up the countdown feed from NASA TV in real-time at approximately 9:40 a.m. and continue the feed until the Cygnus reaches orbit.


With a Nov. 2 launch, the Cygnus spacecraft will arrive at the space station Monday, Nov. 4 at about 4:10 a.m., Expedition 61 NASA astronaut Jessica Meir will grapple the spacecraft using the station’s robotic arm. She will be backed up by NASA astronaut Christina Koch. After Cygnus capture, ground controllers will command the station’s arm to rotate and install Cygnus on the bottom of the station’s Unity module.

Courtesy: https://shoredailynews.com/headlines/ng-12-mission-to-the-iss-scheduled-for-launch-at-950-a-m-today/