Nasa will live stream 360-degree views of a rocket launch
Want the world's best, up-close view of a rocket launch without being right there at the pad?
For the first time, cameras will provide live 360-degree video of a rocket heading toward space.
Nasa will start the 360 stream later today as an unmanned Atlas rocket blasts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with a capsule full of space station supplies.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket that will carry supplies to the International Space Station stands ready at complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on April 17
HOW TO WATCH For the first time, cameras will provide live 360-degree video of a rocket heading toward space. The stream will be shown on Nasa's YouTube channel today (April 18). It will begin at 11.01 EDT (3.01PM GMT, 4.01 BST). Blast-off will take place around ten minutes later at 11.11AM EDT.
The stream will begin 10 minutes before the scheduled 11.11AM EDT (3.11PM GMT, 4.11PM BST) liftoff and continue until the rocket is out of sight.
The four fisheye-lens cameras are located at the periphery of the pad, about 300 feet (100 metres) from the rocket.
A computer in a blast-proof box will stitch together the images for a full, in-the-round view. There will be about a minute lag time.
It will be shown on Nasa's YouTube channel.
'It's great, I mean, to be able to get in there and experience that 360-degree view,' said Vern Thorp, a programme manager for rocket maker United Launch Alliance.
The launch is scheduled for today (April 18) and for the first time, Nasa cameras will provide live 360-degree video of the rocket heading toward space
Four fish-eye lens cameras will film only 300 feet (100 metres) from the rocket as it blasts off to the International Space Station
Combining that with virtual reality goggles, 'it really gives you a new perspective that we've never been able to do before,' he said.
United Launch Alliance has released 360-degree video of two previous launches, but only after the launch.
Orbital ATK, one of Nasa's main delivery services for the International Space Station, opted to use an Atlas V for this supply run from Cape Canaveral versus its own smaller, Virginia-based Antares rocket in order to haul up more items.
The supply ship is known as the Cygnus after the swan constellation, and in this case has been named the S.S. John Glenn.
Nasa opted to use a United Launch Alliance Atlas V for this supply run from Cape Canaveral versus its own smaller, Virginia-based Antares rocket in order to haul up more items
Glenn became the first American to orbit the world in 1962 - launching on an Atlas rocket - and the oldest person to fly in space in 1998 aboard the shuttle Discovery.
He died at age 95 in December. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery earlier this month.
'It's an honour to launch the spacecraft which has been named in memory of John Glenn,' Mr Thorp said.
Given that Glenn flew on an Atlas rocket and Tuesday's rocket is an Atlas, 'I feel like we're bridging history.'