Osiris rex launch visible from UK?

[iamjulian]

Does anyone know whether the Osiris rex rocket will be visible from the UK shortly after launch? What sort of magnitude would it be?  Thanks.

[Paul M]

I just looked at the official website for some info.

It's being launched from Cape Canaveral into a fairly low inclination orbit so it's unlikely to be above our horizon anytime during the launch phase. As it fires its engines to enter solar orbit it will get further from Earth and will likely be above the horizon as seen from the UK after then. It's unlikely to be visible though.

After one orbit of the Sun it returns to Earths gravitational influence for a gravity assisted "sling shot". I don't know the details of that but depending on the circumstances of that fly-by it might be visible as a fast moving but faint point of light, though not necessarily from the UK. This has been the case with other crafts gravity assist fly-by's.

So, however spectacular this mission may or may not be, it's unlikely to be a spectacular launch....for us! 

[iamjulian]

Thank you, Paul!