Residents of the area around Wanaka Airport have an excuse for staying in bed for an extra three hours on the morning of Sunday, March 15.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) plans to launch its huge scientific balloon from the airport between 7am and 10am that day.
In a letter this week, airport operations manager Ralph Fegan advised residents within a 2.1km radius were ''welcome'' to stay at home and watch the ascent of the balloon from there, ''as long as you and all members of your household remain indoors or under shelter - for example, under a carport - for the 30 minutes immediately following the launch''.
Mr Fegan said there was ''minimal risk'' associated with the launch.
''But the balloon does weigh over two tonnes so Nasa always maintains an exclusion zone of 2.1km around all its balloon launch sites for the first hour after lift-off.''
Mr Fegan said he would be contacting residents in the next few days to discuss arrangements for the launch.
An information night specifically for residents is scheduled to be held at the airport on March 3.
