Can You See a Rocket Launch From New Hampshire?

Q: How far is New Hampshire from a launch site?

Wallops Flight Facility is 415 miles south southwest of Manchester. Concord is 425 miles from Wallops Island and Berlin is 510 miles from Wallops Island.

Q: Which launches can I see from New Hampshire?

Cape Canaveral launches that head northeast, up the coast are low on the horizon from Manchester, up to 14 degrees, first seen in the south. Wallops Island launches that head southeast, out over the Atlantic are low on the horizon from Manchester, up to 6 degrees, first seen in the south southwest. Enter your own ZIP above to see the tag on each upcoming launch.

Q: What is the best time of day to watch?

Twilight. In the hour before sunrise or after sunset the rocket climbs back into sunlight while the ground is dark, and its exhaust spreads into a glowing cloud that carries far farther than the rocket itself in daylight.

Q: How high will a rocket be in the New Hampshire sky?

At the best, 14 degrees above the horizon from Manchester. A fist held at arm's length is about 10 degrees, so a rocket under 10 degrees sits near the treeline and one over 20 clears most obstructions.

Q: Where does the launch schedule come from?

The Space Devs: Launch Library 2, loaded when you visit. A time is shown as firm only when the provider has set the minute, and every launch can slip, so check the morning of.

Wallops Island is 415 miles south southwest of Manchester. Launches from Cape Canaveral that head northeast, up the coast are low on the horizon from Manchester, up to 14 degrees. 1 more of the 8 launch paths show from at least one of the three cities.

Checking the upcoming launches against the sky over Manchester, NH.

Somewhere else in New Hampshire? Enter a ZIP for its own list

Launches and the New Hampshire sky

From each launch path and the distance

415 mi

To the nearest site

Wallops Island, south southwest of Manchester

2 of 8

Launch paths that reach

over at least one of Manchester, Concord and Berlin

14°

Highest a launch climbs

over Manchester, heading northeast, up the coast

Cities worked out

Manchester, Concord and Berlin

A rocket can be followed up to about 174 miles in daylight and 621 miles after dark, and a plume lit by the sun above a dark ground carries farther still. The figures here are for a launch at night or in twilight, the best case.

City by city

Launch paths that reach Manchester, Concord and Berlin

Each row is a direction rockets fly from one site, with the best view among the three cities. Most launches on the list follow one of these paths, and the tag on each upcoming launch above says which.

Launch paths that reach the sky over New Hampshire’s three reference cities
Launch heads	From	Best view	Up to	Look
northeast, up the coast	Cape Canaveral	Low on the horizon from Manchester	14 degrees	south
southeast, out over the Atlantic	Wallops Island	Low on the horizon from Manchester	6 degrees	south southwest

Worked out from each launch path and the distance to the city, for a launch at night or in twilight. A fist held at arm’s length is about 10 degrees.

Where to watch

Where to watch near Wallops Island

The nearest site is Wallops Flight Facility, 415 miles from Manchester. If you are traveling there, these are the usual public places.

Wallops Flight Facility, VA

Pad 0A: Northrop Grumman Antares and Rocket Lab Neutron.

NASA Wallops Visitor Center Launch Viewing AreaWallops Island, VirginiaThe official viewing area, 7 miles from the launch range.“The Launch Viewing Area at the Visitor Center is located 7 miles from the launch range.” NASA Wallops Visitor Center

Reading the list

What the tags mean

Spectacular A big show. Close enough, or lit by the sun after dark, that the whole climb and the plume are easy to follow.
Visible Plainly visible. A bright point and a trail, well above the treeline.
Low on the horizon Low on the horizon. Up for a short time near the horizon, so you need a clear view in that direction.
Not from here Not from here. Too far, or hidden below the horizon. The webcast is the way to see it.

A rocket in daylight can be followed to about 174 miles, after dark to about 621 miles, and a plume lit by the sun while the ground is dark carries to about 808 miles.