CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. - The NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is launching a sounding rocket carrying experiments from eight different student teams this Tuesday, Aug. 12, for the RockSat-X mission, according to the facility.
NASA classifies a sounding rocket as a rocket that carries scientific instruments into the upper atmosphere with its total time in space being around 5-20 minutes. The rocket travels at lower vehicle speeds for more accurate experiments.
One of the eight student teams is from the University of Delaware. Their experiment is described on NASA's website as using "a Langmuir probe to measure how plasma responds to different electrical conditions, analyzing current-voltage graphs to determine plasma temperature and density."
“The RockSat program provides NASA-unique technical training and authentic, hands-on experiences, that prepare and equip students to enter the United States’ aerospace industry," said Victoria Stoffel, Wallops STEM team lead.
Other teams include the University of Puerto Rico, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Northwest Nazarene University, University of Hawaii Community College, College of the Canyons and University of Alabama Huntsville. For more information on each school's experiment, visit NASA's website.
The sounding rocket, dubbed The Terrier-Improved Malemute, should reach an altitude of around 100 miles before gently descending into the Atlantic Ocean by parachute. The mission's launch window is from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. with The Wallops Visitor Center to open at 5 a.m.
Can't make it in person? No worries! The Wallops YouTube channel will livestream the mission fifteen minutes before launch.