Aside from the launchpads at KSC and Vandenberg, MARS, or the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, is the third busiest launch site in the United States. MARS, also called Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), offers different launch trajectories that are not available at Florida launch sites. Typically, Wallops supports the launch and recovery of sounding rockets, which are small payloads compared to what is launched in Florida.
The pads at Wallops also support other orbital and suborbital missions. Up until the retirement of the Antares 230+ in 2023, frequent ISS re-supply missions lifted off from Virginia.
Alongside NASA, other pads at Wallops are leased by Rocket Lab, Northrop Grumman (NG), and Firefly Aerospace. As of recent, only Rocket Lab has launched from WFF while work is done completing the Antares 300 (Northrop Grumman) and Eclipse (Firefly). Neutron, Rocket Lab’s medium-lift launch vehicle, is poised to launch next year from Wallops, as is NG’s modified Antares.
What Makes Wallops Special?
As a civilian, Wallops offers the closest possible viewing of a rocket launch in the United States. Depending on the launch vehicle and mission, it is possible to witness launches from less than 2 miles away, with suborbital missions typically allowing for 1.5 miles. This is significantly closer than Florida.
Wallops Launch Notifications
Many of the missions out of Wallops are classified government missions. There still are several public missions, but most of the launches aren’t advertised to the extent they are elsewhere. Being that way, it can be difficult to track these launches and know when to visit. Wallops itself has its own visitation difficulties, which will be discussed later.
So How Do I Know When to Visit?
Below are some ways to track the launches happening at Wallops. Keep in mind, like other launches, dates and times change at an instant.
The Wallops Launch Schedule
If launches aren’t public, updates won’t be shared, only that a mission is possible during a specific range of dates. See the Wallops listings here.
Notice to Mariners
Mariner notices often are the first warnings that a launch is near. The Wallops area also has a large fishing community, so early warning is necessary to prevent any vessel-related delays during the countdown. The US Coast Guard will post warnings here.
Federal Aviation Administration Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
Just like in Florida, TFRs will pop up typically a few days before launch operations. Wallops has standard TFRs, and these updated ones will extend out into the Atlantic Ocean. The current TFR list can be found here. Other sites will often share TFRs for launches as well.
FAA Advisory
The FAA daily operations advisory will list rocket launches throughout the United States. Typically, they are listed a few days before a planned liftoff. The FAA daily operations plan is found here.
Launch Provider/Range Updates
For public missions, launch providers will often share their progression towards launch. Social media pages are typically a reliable source for this information.
What Makes Wallops Difficult To Visit?
Wallops itself is part of the Delmarva Peninsula in Virginia. It is part of the barrier islands on the east coast.
Unlike KSC with several international airports within an hour of the spaceport, WFF has limited air travel options. Salisbury Regional Airport is roughly a 30 minute commute to the north. However, limited airlines serve the small airport. Many visitors to Wallops choose to fly into Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, or Norfolk. It is still a 3+ hour drive to the Wallops area.
Many visitors choose to stay on Chincoteague Island, which is only a few miles away. During peak season, the island is a popular vacation destination, and can make accommodations expensive and difficult to obtain, especially for last minute launch announcements.
In the summer, Chincoteague offers a lot of great tourist options for when a launch gets delayed. In the winter, resources on the island are limited and many businesses and restaurants are very much considered seasonal. Keep that in mind if you visit in the winter. Depending on your determination, Washington DC or the Williamsburg, VA area can be day trips.
Catching a launch at Wallops is a very unique experience and well worth the visit. Wallops is rapidly growing and the opportunity for such an intimate launch experience won’t last forever.
NASA operates a visitor center with limited hours nearby that tells the story of Wallops. Depending on the mission and time, it is sometimes open during launches, although there are many closer viewing locations.
