[LOOK] NASA Launches Sounding Rocket Into Stunning Auroras in Alaska

NASA has launched a rocket into the wonderous display of auroras in Alaskan skies. But what was the purpose of flying this rocket?

NASA Launches Rocket to the Aurora-Filled Skies

A sounding rocket from Poker Flat Research Range in Fairbanks, Alaska, embarked on a scientific mission on November 8, carrying NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center's DISSIPATION mission.

It journeyed into the heart of auroras, successfully collecting crucial data to unravel the mysteries of how these luminous displays influence the Earth's atmosphere and drive high-altitude winds.

The scientific community is now gearing up for a second-sounding rocket launch, this time for the BEAM-PIE mission, conducted in collaboration with the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

This endeavor aims to utilize an electron beam to generate radio waves, providing essential insights into how atmospheric conditions modulate these waves. The data collected will be instrumental in interpreting findings from a myriad of other missions.

NASA Rocket Sees a Sizzling Supernova

On October 29, the Integral Field Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Experiment (INFUSE) payload was launched from the White Sands Missile Range, reaching an altitude of 165.8 miles (266.8 kilometers).

The mission delved into the aftermath of explosive stellar deaths and the birth of new star systems. According to the principal investigator, the data acquisition process proceeded as expected, and the payload was safely retrieved.

Each year, for a fleeting span of time, the Cygnus constellation graces the northern hemisphere's night sky. Nestled just above its wing lies a celestial gem that captivates both amateur stargazers and seasoned scientists: the Cygnus Loop, also recognized as the Veil Nebula.

The Cygnus Loop stands as the remnant of a colossal star, once 20 times the size of our sun. Some 20,000 years ago, this star succumbed to its own gravitational force, culminating in a spectacular supernova event.

Even from a distance of 2,600 light-years, astronomers estimate that the resulting burst of brilliance would have outshone the sun, illuminating the Earth's sky even in daylight.

The Sounding Rocket Program

For more than four decades, the Sounding Rocket Program has made invaluable scientific, technical, and educational contributions to NASA's space endeavors. It is one of the agency's most versatile and cost-effective flight initiatives.

Sounding rockets embark on brief, parabolic journeys into space, carrying scientific instruments to conduct experiments. Their limited time in space, typically 5 to 20 minutes, proves optimal for executing targeted scientific inquiries, according to NASA.

Additionally, there exist regions of space that are too low for satellites to reach, making sounding rockets the sole viable platform for conducting measurements in these domains.

NASA further noted that sounding rockets offer a financially viable alternative, as they don't require expensive boosters or extended telemetry and tracking systems.

Since they never achieve orbit, they do not necessitate the infrastructure required for orbiter missions, resulting in significantly reduced mission costs.

Moreover, the program leverages a high degree of component commonality, with experiments provided by the scientists, driving efficiency and cost-effectiveness across numerous missions.