Fiery streak will appear in night sky over multiple East Coast states, NASA says

A fiery streak could be seen hurtling over multiple East Coast states Tuesday, Aug. 1, and NASA is offering an explanation in advance.

It will be a cargo resupply mission headed for the International Space Station, and not a UFO.

The Antares is scheduled to launch at 8:31 p.m. on Tuesday from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A on Wallops Island, Virginia, NASA says.

It could be visible in the sky from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to Charleston, South Carolina, and as far west as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, nearly 400 miles away, experts say.

Timing will depend on distance and those living farther to the west may not see the rocket until nearly 3 minutes after it launches.

“This will be Northrop Grumman’s 19th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, delivering science investigations, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station,” NASA says.

UFO reports occasionally tick up during East Coast rocket launches, particularly those involving multiple stages, McClatchy News reports.

Multi-stage rockets are known to release barium vapor, which can generate colorful clouds that linger around 30 seconds, NASA says. The vapor is not harmful, experts say.

Wallops officials report there is an 80% chance weather will be favorable for Tuesday’s launch.

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