Zhuque-2E Block 2 | Mass Simulator — launch recap & visibility
2.8 tonnes Mass Simulator launched to a 900 km polar orbit on a test flight proving further upgrades to the ZQ-2E, including a longer 1st stage and engine upgrades.
Liftoff time
- May 14, 2026, 3:00 AM UTC
- May 13, 2026, 11:00 PM Eastern
- May 13, 2026, 8:00 PM Pacific
Which cities could see this launch?
Estimated visibility from major towns near US launch sites, assuming clear skies and an open horizon at the time of liftoff:
| City | Visibility | Look toward | Distance to pad |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | Not visible | — | 6410 mi |
| Fresno, CA | Not visible | — | 6504 mi |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Not visible | — | 6567 mi |
| Pismo Beach, CA | Not visible | — | 6576 mi |
| Guadalupe, CA | Not visible | — | 6588 mi |
| Santa Maria, CA | Not visible | — | 6593 mi |
| Orcutt, CA | Not visible | — | 6599 mi |
| Vandenberg Village, CA | Not visible | — | 6607 mi |
| Bakersfield, CA | Not visible | — | 6607 mi |
| Los Alamos, CA | Not visible | — | 6611 mi |
| Lompoc, CA | Not visible | — | 6611 mi |
| Buellton, CA | Not visible | — | 6621 mi |
| Solvang, CA | Not visible | — | 6623 mi |
| Santa Barbara, CA | Not visible | — | 6646 mi |
| Mojave, CA | Not visible | — | 6649 mi |
| Ventura, CA | Not visible | — | 6666 mi |
| Oxnard, CA | Not visible | — | 6673 mi |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | Not visible | — | 6685 mi |
| Malibu, CA | Not visible | — | 6697 mi |
| Pasadena, CA | Not visible | — | 6705 mi |
| Los Angeles, CA | Not visible | — | 6708 mi |
| Long Beach, CA | Not visible | — | 6727 mi |
| San Diego, CA | Not visible | — | 6819 mi |
| Philadelphia, PA | Not visible | — | 6842 mi |
| Ocean City, NJ | Not visible | — | 6886 mi |
| Baltimore, MD | Not visible | — | 6892 mi |
| Dover, DE | Not visible | — | 6898 mi |
| Cape May, NJ | Not visible | — | 6911 mi |
| Annapolis, MD | Not visible | — | 6913 mi |
| Washington, DC | Not visible | — | 6919 mi |
| Rehoboth Beach, DE | Not visible | — | 6927 mi |
| Ocean City, MD | Not visible | — | 6953 mi |
| Salisbury, MD | Not visible | — | 6953 mi |
| Berlin, MD | Not visible | — | 6955 mi |
| Pocomoke City, MD | Not visible | — | 6973 mi |
| Chincoteague, VA | Not visible | — | 6982 mi |
| Wallops Island, VA | Not visible | — | 6987 mi |
| Onancock, VA | Not visible | — | 6999 mi |
| Exmore, VA | Not visible | — | 7011 mi |
| Richmond, VA | Not visible | — | 7014 mi |
| Cape Charles, VA | Not visible | — | 7030 mi |
| Newport News, VA | Not visible | — | 7043 mi |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Not visible | — | 7059 mi |
| Norfolk, VA | Not visible | — | 7059 mi |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Not visible | — | 7282 mi |
| Charleston, SC | Not visible | — | 7345 mi |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | Not visible | — | 7383 mi |
| Savannah, GA | Not visible | — | 7393 mi |
| Brunswick, GA | Not visible | — | 7456 mi |
| Valdosta, GA | Not visible | — | 7475 mi |
| Pensacola Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7492 mi |
| Gulf Shores, AL | Not visible | — | 7494 mi |
| Tallahassee, FL | Not visible | — | 7498 mi |
| Jacksonville, FL | Not visible | — | 7513 mi |
| Laredo, TX | Not visible | — | 7543 mi |
| St. Augustine, FL | Not visible | — | 7543 mi |
| Grand Isle, LA | Not visible | — | 7545 mi |
| Rockport, TX | Not visible | — | 7547 mi |
| Corpus Christi, TX | Not visible | — | 7556 mi |
| Gainesville, FL | Not visible | — | 7559 mi |
| Port Aransas, TX | Not visible | — | 7559 mi |
| Palm Coast, FL | Not visible | — | 7565 mi |
| Daytona Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7591 mi |
| New Smyrna Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7604 mi |
| Sanford, FL | Not visible | — | 7619 mi |
| Mims, FL | Not visible | — | 7629 mi |
| Titusville, FL | Not visible | — | 7633 mi |
| Orlando, FL | Not visible | — | 7637 mi |
| Port Canaveral, FL | Not visible | — | 7647 mi |
| Merritt Island, FL | Not visible | — | 7650 mi |
| McAllen, TX | Not visible | — | 7651 mi |
| Rockledge, FL | Not visible | — | 7651 mi |
| Cocoa Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7653 mi |
| Kissimmee, FL | Not visible | — | 7654 mi |
| Harlingen, TX | Not visible | — | 7660 mi |
| Satellite Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7663 mi |
| Bayview, TX | Not visible | — | 7668 mi |
| Indialantic, FL | Not visible | — | 7669 mi |
| Melbourne, FL | Not visible | — | 7669 mi |
| Lakeland, FL | Not visible | — | 7670 mi |
| Los Fresnos, TX | Not visible | — | 7671 mi |
| Laguna Vista, TX | Not visible | — | 7672 mi |
| Palm Bay, FL | Not visible | — | 7673 mi |
| South Padre Island, TX | Not visible | — | 7674 mi |
| Port Isabel, TX | Not visible | — | 7675 mi |
| Tampa, FL | Not visible | — | 7676 mi |
| Brownsville, TX | Not visible | — | 7682 mi |
| Sebastian, FL | Not visible | — | 7688 mi |
| Vero Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7700 mi |
| Fort Pierce, FL | Not visible | — | 7713 mi |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Not visible | — | 7726 mi |
| West Palm Beach, FL | Not visible | — | 7764 mi |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Not visible | — | 7805 mi |
| Miami, FL | Not visible | — | 7830 mi |
Where to look
A rocket lifts off below the horizon for distant viewers, then climbs into view as it gains altitude and flies downrange. Closer to the pad you'll see it within seconds; a few hundred miles away it can take three to six minutes to rise over the horizon. Find an open view in the direction shown for your city and start watching at liftoff.
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Launch data from TheSpaceDevs Launch Library 2. Page generated June 4, 2026.