Did you know our ‘Start Me Up’ mission will be the first rocket launch viewable from Europe? You might be wondering how you can witness LauncherOne blast off during the launch.

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Our team created a set of launch viewing maps that informs people in the UK, Ireland, and neighboring European countries of when they can expect to see the LauncherOne vehicle ascending into orbit based on their location. These maps were generated using the planned rocket trajectory and are enhanced by elevation data of the surrounding geographies. The path of LauncherOne is shown in blue, and its approximate location over the ocean at any given time is depicted in the circles marked on the trajectory. Each circle is defined in seconds from the LauncherOne release and ignition point.

If you’re interested in viewing the ‘Start Me Up’ launch, you can locate your own region on the map and check the color depicted in the local area which indicates the time you should be able to see LauncherOne ascend above the horizon using the colorbar on the right. Major cities are marked in black dots for added reference. Regions within the UK and Ireland near the release site should be able to see LauncherOne within the first minute, indicated by strong blue and cyan zones. Regions along the coasts of France, Spain, and Portugal should be able to view the launch within the first 2 to 3 minutes of release. Regions more inland can still see the launch on a clear night so long as they aren’t masked by high terrain that could block their view, while places marked in orange are susceptible to these types of blockage.

The entire launch phase should last approximately ten minutes, so there is a high probability of being able to see the rocket plume with a little luck and planning ahead!