Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to launch on a resupply mission to the International Space Station today (April 18) at 11:11 a.m. EDT from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. You can watch the liftoff live in 360 degrees — the first time this option has ever been available for a rocket launch, according to NASA — in the window above, courtesy of NASA TV.
(The video should appear/update 10 minutes before launch.)
The Cygnus, named S.S. John Glenn in honor of the first American ever to orbit the Earth, will launch atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket. You can also watch the liftoff directly via NASA's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/nasatelevision
From NASA:
"Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft will launch on a ULA Atlas V rocket carrying more than 7,600 pounds of science research, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory. Launch is targeted for Tuesday, April 18 during a 30-minute window that opens at 11:11 a.m. EDT.
"To view in 360, use a mouse or move a personal device to look up and down, back and forth, for a 360-degree view around Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Note: not all browsers support viewing 360 videos. YouTube supports playback of 360-degree videos on computers using Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera browsers. Viewers may use the YouTube app to view the launch on a smart phone. Those who own virtual reality headsets will be able to look around and experience the view as if they were actually standing on the launch pad.
"While virtual reality and 360 technology have been increasing in popularity, live 360 technology is a brand new capability that has recently emerged. Recognizing the exciting possibilities opened by applying this new technology to spaceflight, NASA, ULA, and Orbital ATK seized this opportunity to virtually place the public at the base of the rocket during launch. Minimum viewing distance is typically miles away from the launch pad, but the live 360 stream enables viewers to get a pads-eye view."Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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