Space station supply ship at launch pad honors John Glenn

For the first time ever the space agency will broadcast a launch live online in 360 degrees.

You may have seen 360-degree video technology before on your Facebook newsfeed.

The Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft is lifting off on a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

How and when to watch?

The launch will be broadcast a live in a 360-degree video format on the agency's website and on its YouTube channel on 18 April 11:11 am EDT (4:11 pm BST/CET). There will be about a minute lag time. Those on desktops must use Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Opera browsers to view the launch. Because the launch was delayed a month by hydraulic problems at the pad and on the rocket, no Glenn family members were able to make it to Cape Canaveral, according to Culbertson. A computer in a blast-proof box stitched together the images for a full, in-the-round view.

Meteorologists have predicted very promising conditions for the launch and expect it to go off as scheduled on time. But it opted for the United Launch Alliance's bigger Atlas V rocket in order to carry up a heftier load.

On Thursday Russia will launch the crewed Soyuz MS-04 to to the International Space Station, carrying NASA astronaut Jack Fischer and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin. "We will review today's 360º setup and endeavor to bring this new perspective of a rocket launch to everyone in the future".

NASA's shipper, Orbital ATK, asked Glenn's widow, Annie, for permission to use his name for the spacecraft, following his December death.

An Atlas rocket provided Tuesday's lift, just as it did for Glenn 55 years ago.