A NASA ROCKET MAY BE VISIBLE OVER THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY TONIGHT. VERY EXCITING. AND NASA SAYS IT’S AIMING TO LAUNCH ITS TOME X PLUS ROCKET BETWEEN 10:00 TONIGHT AND THREE IN THE MORNING. OKAY, SO IF YOU’RE UP DURING THOSE HOURS, WHICH USUALLY FOR US ON THIS SHIFT, WE ARE NOT. WILL YOU ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE IT IN THE SKY THOUGH, EVEN IF YOU ARE AWAKE? CHRISTINE. THAT’S THE QUESTION. YOU GOT IT. WE HAVE NICE CLEAR SKIES EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. NOW, HERE’S THE DEAL. YOU HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THE NASA WALLOPS PAGE. THEY WILL LET YOU KNOW FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THEY DECIDE TO LAUNCH THE ROCKETS. THEY’RE GOING TO LAUNCH A LIVE STREAM, AND THEN YOU’LL KNOW WHEN TO LOOK. SO YOU WANT TO LOOK TO THE SOUTHEAST. IF YOU’RE IN THE GREEN SHADED COUNTIES HERE YOU CAN SEE THE ROCKET TEN TO 30S AFTER LIFTOFF. IN THE YELLOW SHADED COUNTIES, YOU CAN SEE AT ABOUT 30 TO 40S AFTER LIFTOFF. SO REALLY WITHIN A MINUTE AFTER IT LIFTS OFF, WE’LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT IN OUR SOUTHEAST SKY. FINGERS CROSSED WE SEE THE CLEAR SKIE
Wallops Flight Facility rocket launch may be visible in Pennsylvania
Updated: 10:53 AM EDT Aug 25, 2025
A NASA rocket launch could be visible in South-Central Pennsylvania Monday night. The TOMEX+ rocket is set to take off from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. In the Susquehanna Valley, you might be able to see the rocket about one minute after liftoff. If you want to see it, look to the southeast (see maps below).A livestream will start five minutes before the rocket takes off.About the TOMEX+ launchThe following information is from NASA:TOMEX+ is a NASA sounding rocket mission to study the mesopause, which is the cold, turbulent boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere 53–65 miles (85–105 km) above Earth. The mission targets the atmospheric sodium layer near 56 miles (90 km), formed by ablated meteor dust. A rocket-borne laser tuned to sodium will make the layer fluoresce, creating a tracer to map ripples and turbulence that affect satellite drag. Sounding rockets are required because this region straddles the von Kármán line—too high for balloons, too low for satellites—and hosts noctilucent (“night-shining”) clouds.Share your rocket shotsWGAL has several ways you can show us the photos and videos you’re capturing. We may use some of them on air and online.DIRECT UPLOAD: There is a form here to let you upload photos or video.EMAIL: Just send to news8@wgal.com.
WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. —
A NASA rocket launch could be visible in South-Central Pennsylvania Monday night.
The TOMEX+ rocket is set to take off from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.
In the Susquehanna Valley, you might be able to see the rocket about one minute after liftoff. If you want to see it, look to the southeast (see maps below).
A livestream will start five minutes before the rocket takes off.
About the TOMEX+ launch
The following information is from NASA:
TOMEX+ is a NASA sounding rocket mission to study the mesopause, which is the cold, turbulent boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere 53–65 miles (85–105 km) above Earth.
The mission targets the atmospheric sodium layer near 56 miles (90 km), formed by ablated meteor dust. A rocket-borne laser tuned to sodium will make the layer fluoresce, creating a tracer to map ripples and turbulence that affect satellite drag.
Sounding rockets are required because this region straddles the von Kármán line—too high for balloons, too low for satellites—and hosts noctilucent (“night-shining”) clouds.
Share your rocket shots
WGAL has several ways you can show us the photos and videos you’re capturing. We may use some of them on air and online.