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Weather permitting, NASA's launch of Black Brant XII sounding rocket will be visible in Northeast Ohio

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Posted at 9:04 AM, May 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-11 08:43:42-04

CLEVELAND — If the weather cooperates, anyone living in Northeast Ohio will be able to see the launch of NASA’s Black Brant XII sounding rocket carrying the KiNET-X payload, according to NASA.

The launch has been rescheduled for Monday at 8:04 p.m. at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia after it was postponed Saturday and Sunday due to upper-level winds not being within the required limits for a safe launch, NASA said.

If the launch happens Monday, it will provide a brief light show within seconds of the launch for residents in the eastern United States and Bermuda.

Power of 5 Meteorologist Trent Magill says clouds will be on the increase this evening with rain possibly closer to sunset. That being said, we still may have a few breaks if your east of Cleveland.

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The mission, called KiNET-X, is designed to study the problem in space plasmas, namely, how energy and momentum transported between different regions of space are connected.

A four-stage Black Brant XII rocket will be used for the mission. Barium vapor will be released, forming two green-violet clouds that may be visible for about 30 seconds. NASA said the vapor is not harmful to the environment or public health.

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