# 321 LAUNCH — user reviews > 50 indexed App Store user reviews of 321 LAUNCH by USA TODAY, rated 4.30/5 from 951 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/321-launch/id1356608002/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/321-launch/id1356608002.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 697 · 4★ 96 · 3★ 33 · 2★ 14 · 1★ 111 ## What do users think of 321 LAUNCH? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🚀 Immersive AR experience - 🔍 Informative and educational - 🤩 Inspiring and engaging - 👍 Seamless and smooth launch simulation - 🌟 Awesome use of technology **Cons** - 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs - 🕰️ Delayed live launch coverage - 📱 Compatibility issues on older devices - 🤔 Confusing or unintuitive interface **Commonly reported bugs** - Camera access not requested, causing blank screen - Compass calibration issues on some devices - Connectivity problems during launches **Most requested features** - Ability to view past launches in AR - Option to follow booster descent or payload journey - Integration with launch schedules and RSS feeds - Support for other launch vehicles (e.g., Saturn V) ## Newest reviews (15 of 50) ### 4/5 — Scan surface problems *2019-07-18, version 2.0* Scanning surface to set up didn’t always cooperate...so images were way too large or not in a good position. Once got it to play nice, it was a neat experience for our family. ### 5/5 — Good fun and informative. *2019-07-17, version 2.0* While not a prefect app...it is pretty cool living on the Space Coast and be able to pull out the app and know exactly where to look for a launch regardless of where you are. ### 3/5 — Good but could use some improvements *2019-06-10, version 1.2.1* This is a really neat concept, especially for people like me who have 150+ apps on their iPhone, but I found it to be lacking in certain areas, particularly for the fact that it’s not very intuitive. I found it to be a bit convoluted and even a bit confusing. There’s just too much going on, and the interface seems to defy conventional design practices to the point of being a bit obnoxious. ### 5/5 — Very awesome! *2019-02-23, version 1.1.1* Although it’s an innovative application, I wish there was a way to not have to leave the app just to connect to Florida Now’s website. Importing the schedules and other information such as an RSS feed could greatly improve it. It would also be amazing if there were a way to view past launches in AR (sadly, yes, even the Challenger incident) with the recorded audio feed from Mission Control. This is a huge opportunity to go all out and put science in the hands of millions where it should be :) ### 5/5 — Great app; the augmented reality is an excellent touch. *2019-02-21, version 1.1.1* If you haven’t tried augmented reality, download this and follow long as you have a simulated rocket takeoff from your kitchen table or some other flat surface in your home. ### 5/5 — Awesome use of technology *2018-12-21, version 1.1.1* Absolutely the coolest. The close up views of the launch and desperation and the booster return are astounding. Whole new perspective on launches. If only this was available when the Space Shuttle was around. ### 4/5 — Great Rocket Live Launch from Florida *2018-10-17, version 1.1.1* Really fine app! The only problem was it was about a minute behind true launch time Great info and pre-launch video and second by second narrative! Loved it. ### 5/5 — BEST APP I HAVE *2018-10-02, version 1.1.1* I got this expecting a sort of Pokémon go type app but when I started it was awesome and better than I expected. Who ever reads this and doesn’t have this app... get it now ### 4/5 — Not bad! *2018-09-09, version 1.1.1* The audio track faded a little quickly in parts but otherwise the F9 AR experience was seamless on an iPhone X. One moan (and I’ve noticed it in another app) and that is I prefer to hold my phone with the volume buttons and notch to the top and right: that is upside down for this app and it doesn’t autorotate. Annoying. I want the camera at the lower right (as looking at the screen) not top top left. ### 5/5 — Very Informative *2018-08-18, version 1.1.1* This app is very informative as it walks you through the preparations of the rocket assembly and pre-launch to launch phases of the rocket in AR, which also makes it pretty cool! I was especially interested to learn how exactly, in real life, the boosters manage to steer to land vertically (in the same orientation as it takes off) like some old 1960’s Buck Rogers TV show or something like that. It is really interesting to see the whole process from start to finish. The only thing I would add is a choice about whether to follow the first stage (booster) as it descends, or continue to follow the second stage and payload as they continue their journey to outer space. That would be really cool to see in AR (perhaps seeing stars and the outer atmosphere along the upper edge of the room that I am in as I use this app). Other than that, this is really worth downloading in my opinion, as a physics nerd who really enjoys this kind of stuff, and I haven’t even seen the live launches this is supposed to alert you to and keep you updated for when they arrive so you can watch in this app. How exciting! I’m glad that I downloaded it! ### 5/5 — Awesome *2018-07-13, version 1.1.1* A bit glitchy when coming up close ! Try to fix that ### 5/5 — Amazing just one thing.. *2018-07-01, version 1.1.1* This app is Amazing with the alert of space launches I just watched one on July 29, 2018 at 5:00 in the morning XD early but idc and the simulation is really cool and teaches you some stuff NO SPOILERS YOU HAVE TO DOWNLOAD but I love this app sooo much exept its a little glitchy so if you fix that this app is Perfect! ### 4/5 — Nice App, Great AR Use Case *2018-06-03, version 1.1.1* This really helps understanding of the rocket and different phases if launch. A few improvements in UI details related to swipes and zooming, and with the launched rocket locations would make it better, but it’s already very impressive. ### 5/5 — Amazing AR app! *2018-05-17, version 1.1.1* This is one of the best applications of this type of technology I have seen yet for the iPhone. Really cool stuff! Can’t wait to see what other times of apps are maid. Great job USA Today team! ### 5/5 — Cool! *2018-05-15, version 1.1.1* I like that it gives me notifications for launches. Haven’t tried the AR part, but I just realized that you need to give this app access to your camera in order for it to work. Otherwise you will just see a blue/black screen as others have said. Don’t hate the app because you didn’t allow camera access! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App didn’t ask for access to my camera, so App doesn’t work *2019-06-29, version 1.2.1* Very frustrating even for a free app. It’s a simple app. For a simulated launch, the user points the phone’s camera at a flat surface and on the phone’s screen, the user can view a launch as if the rocket is taking off from the flat surface at which the camera is pointed. However, the app never asked for permission to access my phone’s camera so all I see is a blue screen, instead of the flat surface at which my camera is pointed. Oh, well. It seems to be a rather gimmicky app anyway. I don’t know why it works for other people. ### 1/5 — Does nothing for me *2019-05-24, version 1.2.1* Not clear exactly what this app is supposed to do; I hoped it would allow me to watch video of SpaceX launches, but the “instructions” are rather vague—frankly, I haven’t gotten it to display anything remotely of interest; no video, no still photos, no nothing. Only good thing about it: it was free, so when I delete it I won’t have lost anything. ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work for ipads older than 2017 *2018-05-13, version 1.1.1* Ok, so I don’t have a brand new ipad. But, my ipad air 2 gets the job done. While I don’t expect to be able to take advantage of the AR aspect of this app, I would be able to watch launches live, EXCEPT THAT WHILE THE LIVE LAUNCH VIDEO IS PLAYING THE APP KEEPS GIVING ME AN ERROR MESSAGE ABOUT CALIBRATING MY CAMERA. If I could turn off the camera function of this app, I would love this app. It gives me prompt notification of pending launches and allows me to view the launch video live. BUT THE CAMERA ERROR POPUP EVERY 5 SECONDS MAKES WATCHING LIVE LAUNCH VIDEOS IMPOSSIBLE. Please give us a way to disable the camera so that those of us with older ipads can us the app to watch live launches. ### 1/5 — Not worth your time *2018-04-14, version 1.1.0* I have tried twice now to no avail to watch a launch live. All the app did was tell me there was a live launch about to begin in ##.##.## and that was it all the way up to and into the launch. What’s the point? Even the local news has better coverage than this app does. Nice thought but obviously you need some cooperation with the launching authority to actually get something worth showing. I suggest getting some real coders to get this app working as promised as well. ### 1/5 — The app isn’t working for anything I’m using *2018-04-03, version 1.0* I’m very interested in this app and it looks like an amazing and fun idea, except that whenever I try and use it, when you should see through the camera while scanning for a flat surface, I see nothing but a blue screen. I have an iPhone 6 which meets the system requirements and I also tried to work the app on my family member’s iPad Air, which also meets the requirements. But still, I can’t even scan for a flat surface, preventing me from using the app. I would love to see an update where this is fixed quickly, since it’ll help everyone out ### 1/5 — So disappointed-1st launch; last try *2018-04-02, version 1.0* I was very excited about this app and was in town fir the April 2 SpaceX launch. App was keeping me informed until T minus 23 minutes then it stopped. No more times were displayed. Turned off app. Still nothing. Checked for updates — all current. Fortunately was able to see the launch across the river in Titusville but won’t bother with this app next time. ### 2/5 — Not recommended for enthusiasts. *2018-04-03, version 1.0* Besides being on time, having a small on the upper right corner and audio, this app is useless. The AR doesn’t doesn’t work, everything is pixelated and unless you’re in the middle of a launch, there’s nothing to do. I wanted to like this but it doesn’t meet the basic requirements of functionality on an app. I have no idea what team of people approved this but it’s pitiful. If anything, this ruined my rocket experience. Points for trying? ### 3/5 — Why abandon this app? *2022-04-08, version 2.2* Hello, developers so I loved this app for alerts on rocket launches but I few years ago the app stopped working and not giving me any more alerts it just kept saying “launches coming soon” and still to this day it’s like that and this app haven’t been updated 1y ago why did you guys abandon this very good app? I hope the developers will come back for more updates and fixes but for now I can’t really use this app 😢 ### 3/5 — Good *2019-11-10, version 2.0.1* While this goes through virtual building and launch sequences, the depiction is small and the graphics are not very realistic. I will use it to teach my grandson about space and lunch vehicles but I’m hoping for improvements in later updates. Still good but I’m expecting more in the future. ### 3/5 — Need a fix *2019-07-30, version 2.0* It might just be my phone, but when I try to make my own spaceship, the screen turns black. Also there is no options to allow camera in app. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Almost like being there *2022-12-26, version 2.2* We really enjoyed this experience! ### 5/5 — Nicely done *2021-06-07, version 2.2* Well done and great use of AR on the Falcon 9 demonstration. One suggestion: finish a segment and queue the others if one touches multiple points. As there is no was to go backwards. ### 5/5 — That was awesome *2020-11-25, version 2.2* Just watched my first live launch in AR...and I am impressed. Yes the timing is a little off (~2-5 secs) and the graphics could be improved but this is one of the best examples of the potential of AR. I just watched a rocket launch into space in my living room on a handheld computer...could you have ever guessed you would be able to do that 10 years ago. Magic. ### 5/5 — Really cool! *2020-05-16, version 2.1* As a child of the 60’s & early 70’s, I grew up with Mercury and Apollo. If this app and related technologies had existed and were widely distributed in schools, there is no way to know how far along we would be in our exploration of space. I believe we would be much farther than we are now. ### 5/5 — This is amazing *2020-04-10, version 2.1* This app is the reason I am going to school to become an aerospace engineer. Thank you to the team who put this together. It’s inspired me to shoot for the stars and do great things. ### 5/5 — Awesome! *2020-03-06, version 2.1* I love this kind of stuff, I’ve been interested in the space program for a year now and I have learned a lot more from this app than I already knew. I love this app so much that I just keep doing the AR launch over and over again. So developers, if you are even reading this, please make an app like this for the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo program, it would be really cool! ### 5/5 — Fun app but I had the wrong surface *2020-01-20, version 2.0.2* Very cool but I had a hard time figuring out how high to hold the camera from the horizontal surface. I suggest if you are short using something shorter than a kitchen table. Make sure you have about a 2’ square surface. Looking forward to seeing more. ### 5/5 — Inspiring SCIENCE on your desk or living room table! *2020-01-11, version 2.0.2* Wow!!!.. I eagerly await a version that runs on Apple optical input tech (Glasses, visor, contacts...) or something similar! Who knows what I would be doing now if I had this available in school? Mind blown in the best way! One step closer to a multi-plantery species ! It’s like a livid dream. 🚀 ### 5/5 — Solid learning tool *2019-12-11, version 2.0.2* I am impressed with the quality of the AR experience. I look forward to sharing it with thousands of students!!! ### 5/5 — Extremely Informative and Exciting *2019-11-09, version 2.0.1* This app will be a hit with the entire family. I can hardly wait until I can watch a real launch in AR as it happens roughly 70 miles from my home. I will use this app again and again and will share it with others that are curious as to just how a Space X rocket actually operates throughout a launch in AR. Thank you for taking the time to make such an informative and entertaining app. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*