Where to Watch NASA's InSight Mars Lander Launch from the California Coast

Space.com ^ | April 30, 2018 01:38pm ET | Elizabeth Howell,

[BenLurkin]

NASA has two official sites from which the public can watch the launch along with NASA/InSight mission team members. There are also are several informal sites where you can gather with local residents to see InSight launch. The agency warns people to be careful of fog and cold in all viewing areas.

...InSight's launch window May 5 through June 8, 2018,"....lasts for 2 hours, until about 6:05 a.m. PDT (9:05 a.m. EDT/1305 GMT).

Lompoc City Airport will open its tarmac to the public no earlier than 2:30 a.m. PDT, with launch commentary starting at 3:30 a.m. PDT....

St. Mary's Episcopal Church will welcome visitors no earlier than 2:30 a.m. PDT, with launch commentary starting at 3:30 a.m. PDT....

• In the city of Lompoc, people often view launches from West Ocean Avenue, near Renwick Avenue. "This road is near the launch site, but closes at some point as you near the base. Many people pull off to a safe spot on the side of the road to watch," NASA officials said on the website.

• Another possibility is a park at Providence Landing and Harris Grade (a mountain road) in the Lompoc area, which sometimes is high enough to avoid local fog.

• To the south of Lompoc, there are several beaches that may be open to the public, but NASA advises to check with the local beach to ensure it will be available for the launch. For example, Jalama Beach and Ocean Beach Park, which are next to Vandenberg, generally close for launches.

• A more faraway location is Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest and West Camino Cielo Road, off Highway 154 at San Marcos Pass.

• Residents of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties may see the launch when the rocket goes overhead.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I wonder if we can see it from some of the high coastal mountains in NorCal. Maybe Fremont Peak near San Juan Bautista? Mount Umunhum near San Jose? Mount Madonna between Morgan Hill and Watsonville?

What about this? “Residents of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties may see the launch when the rocket goes overhead.”

I don’t think they launch the rocket over those populated cities. Or do they?

[raiderboy]

We are beyond broke, as a nation. I just question this expense for our great great great grand children.

[libertylover]

I don’t think they launch the rocket over those populated cities. Or do they?

Looks like it just goes over a small tip of land and they can self-destruct it early if there's a problem.

[OldMissileer]

I don’t think they launch the rocket over those populated cities. Or do they?

Polar orbit shot. The California coastline heads southeast so the rocket will be out over the ocean.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

So “rocket goes overhead” was written by a technically illiterate “journalist.” I’m not surprised.

[Dawggie]

Here in southwest Lost Angeles county can usually see the contrail and at times even a stage separation, but no to the launch.

[Dawggie]

Typing too fast

Here in southwest Lost Angeles county you can usually see the contrail

[minnesota_bound]

InSight’s launch window May 5 through June 8, 2018
It looks like you have to camp out and explain why you can’t be at work for a while....

[OldMissileer]

So “rocket goes overhead” was written by a technically illiterate “journalist.” I’m not surprised.

Well, technically it will be overhead in the fact that it will be somewhere around 200,000 feet or more and climbing. The thing is it will be well over the ocean, to the west of the coastline. It just won't be directly overhead. If the path deviates only a couple degrees from the computed flight path it will be destroyed, and that would be well before it gets over land.

Over the decades of missile launches at Vandenberg AFB there have been some spectacular failures. One of them being a test ICBM launch that came out of the silo and headed 180 degrees opposite toward inland rather than out over the ocean. The Range Safety Officers were REAL quick pushing the destruct buttons.

[cicero2k]

Should be spectacular from Orange County as the sun will be low in the east. The best shows are SpaceX shortly after sundown where we can see separation, the reaction control turns, back burns etc.

[super7man]

bfl