NASA is set to launch a rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility on Tuesday night.
The rocket is to be launched between 5:30 p.m. and 6:50 p.m., a NASA news release said. The rocket is to test technology for future projects.
During the flight, two red-colored lithium vapor trails will occur in space that may be seen throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
The backup launch days for this project are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
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NASA Wallops Rocket Mission January 29 Prepping for Future Projects
01.25.13
WALLOPS ISLAND, VA -- A NASA rocket mission to test technology for gathering science data during future projects is scheduled for launch between 5:30 – 6:50 p.m. EST, January 29, from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
During the suborbital flight of the Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket, two red-colored lithium vapor trails will occur in space that may be seen throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Cameras at Wallops and on a NASA aircraft will view the resulting red trails.
Libby West, mission project manager with the NASA Sounding Rocket Program Office at Wallops, said “This launch is a technology test flight for two upcoming missions. We will be testing two different methods for creating the lithium vapor to determine which configuration is best for observing various science phenomena in space.”
NASA has two missions later this year that will use the lithium trails to assist scientists in observing events in space. The first is scheduled for April in the central Pacific Ocean from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and the second will occur in June at Wallops.
In the technology test launch, two canisters in the rocket’s payload section will contain solid metal lithium rods or chips embedded in a thermite cake. The thermite is ignited and produces heat to vaporize the lithium. The vapor is released in space and can be detected and tracked optically.
During the flight, one vapor trail will occur at approximately 72 miles altitude and the second will occur at around 78 miles altitude.
The lithium combustion process poses no threat to the public during the release in space. When heated, the lithium rods change to lithium vapor and small amounts of lithium oxide. The thermite reaction produces iron and aluminum oxide.
The backup launch days for this project are January 30 through February 1.
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Update 29.01.2013
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Two of the clouds left in the wake of the ATREX experiment shine on March 27, 2012. The rockets released trimethyl aluminum, a substance that burns spontaneously in the presence of oxygen.
CREDIT: NASA/Wallops Flight Facility
Quelle: NASA
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Update: 30.01.2013
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NASA successfully launched a Terrier-Improved Orion suborbital rocket at 5:50 p.m. EST this evening from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
During the flight, two red-colored lithium vapor trails were produced. Reports from those viewing the launch or vapor trails came from as far away as the Outer Banks, N.C.; eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Two different methods for creating the lithium vapor were tested to determine which configuration is best for observing various science phenomena in space.
NASA has two missions later this year that will use lithium trails to assist scientists in observing events in space. The first is scheduled for April in the central Pacific Ocean from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and the second will occur in June at Wallops.
In the technology test launch, two canisters in the rocket's payload section contained solid metal lithium rods or chips embedded in a thermite cake. The thermite was ignited and produced heat to vaporize the lithium. The vapor was released in space to be detected and tracked optically.
The lithium combustion process posed no threat to the public during the release in space. When heated, the lithium rods change to lithium vapor and small amounts of lithium oxide. The thermite reaction produces iron and aluminum oxide.
The next rocket launch from the Wallops Flight Facility is currently scheduled for no earlier than mid-March.
Quelle: NASA
NASA successfully launched a rocket from the Wallops Flight Facility tonight.
The rocket went up at about 5:50 p.m. It will test technology for future projects.
During the flight, two red-colored lithium vapor trails were visible through parts of the mid-Atlantic region. Viewings came from as far away as eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, a NASA news release said.
Another Wallops Island launch using lithium vapor trails is scheduled for June, the release said.
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Foto: NASA
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NASA's Glowing Red Clouds: Stephen BlueCredit: Stephen BlueStargazer Stephen Blue captured this amazing view of glowing red clouds over Chesapeake Bay, as seen from Deltaville, Va., on Jan. 29, 2013. The eerie clouds were created in space by a NASA sounding rocket launched from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
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NASA Launches Rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia
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Foto: NASA
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WALLOPS ISLAND, VA – NASA successfully launched a Terrier-Improved Orion suborbital rocket at 5:50 p.m. EST this evening from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
During the flight, two red-colored lithium vapor trails were produced. Reports from those viewing the launch or vapor trails came from as far away as the Outer Banks, N.C.; eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Two different methods for creating the lithium vapor were tested to determine which configuration is best for observing various science phenomena in space.
NASA has two missions later this year that will use lithium trails to assist scientists in observing events in space. The first is scheduled for April in the central Pacific Ocean from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and the second will occur in June at Wallops.
In the technology test launch, two canisters in the rocket’s payload section contained solid metal lithium rods or chips embedded in a thermite cake. The thermite was ignited and produced heat to vaporize the lithium. The vapor was released in space to be detected and tracked optically.
The lithium combustion process posed no threat to the public during the release in space. When heated, the lithium rods change to lithium vapor and small amounts of lithium oxide. The thermite reaction produces iron and aluminum oxide.
The next rocket launch from the Wallops Flight Facility is currently scheduled for no earlier than mid-March.
