If everything goes according to plan, NASA will launch the Artemis 1 moon mission tonight, lighting up the night sky.
The Orion spacecraft will launch aboard a mammoth 322-foot Space Launch System (SLS) rocket during a two-hour window that begins at 1:04 am EST.
As far as Savannah, Georgia, almost 300 miles to the north, people will be able to see Artemis 1 flashing through the sky. Observers in the south, if their skies are clear, should be able to see the rocket all the way down to Miami.
According to a map released by NASA on Monday, the launch would illuminate the entire Kennedy Space Center in Florida and be visible for hundreds of miles in all directions.
The launch of Artemis 1 will be visible throughout Florida and into some of the neighboring states, as seen on the NASA visibility chart. As it pushes Orion toward the moon and departs Earth's atmosphere, the SLS moon rocket's blazing plume will be visible for up to 70 seconds, according to the agency.
"The rocket and spacecraft will no longer be visible to the naked eye after reaching an altitude of 42,000 feet" (12,800 meters), according to NASA's statement.
However, visibility is affected by a variety of factors, including weather and the time of launch. According to NASA, there is currently an 80% possibility of acceptable weather conditions for launch.
When Artemis 1 lifts off, it will send the Orion spacecraft on a 25-day voyage to and from the moon. The SLS vehicle will launch ten miniature satellites known as cubesats along the journey, which will conduct a variety of scientific experiments, some of which will pave the way for future Artemis missions.
Artemis 1 will be the first test flight of the SLS megarocket and the Orion crew spacecraft. The SLS rocket will launch the unmanned Orion spacecraft on a 42-day journey to orbit the moon before returning to Earth.
Backup launch dates are available on Nov. 19 and Nov. 25.
The public can follow the Artemis I mission in real-time by visiting the Artemis Real-time Orbit Website, which will show where Orion is in reference to the Earth and the Moon. Individuals can also get a virtual boarding pass to commemorate the historic journey.
Live coverage of briefings and events will air on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website at: https://www.nasa.gov/live
