Why NASA is sending rockets into Earth’s leaky atmosphere

Watch this video on the NASA YouTube channel.Watch this video on the NASA Sun Science Facebook page. Some of the smallest and lightest rockets in NASA’s lineup have made some of the biggest impacts on science. With a flight time of just about 15 minutes before falling back to Earth, sounding rockets collect unique observations on everything from our planet’s atmosphere to the Sun and even distant galaxies.Join us live to hear from scientists who have traveled to the ends of the Earth to launch sounding rockets, flown cutting-edge instruments on these suborbital flights, and used sounding rockets to make brand-new scientific discoveries.Watch on Facebook or YouTube. Related pages

A sounding rocket is able to carry science instruments between 30 - 300 miles above Earth's surface. These altitudes are typically too high for science balloons and too low for satellites to access safely making sounding rockets the only platforms that can carry out direct in situ measurements in these regions.This animation is annoted with the altitudes. A sounding rocket is able to carry science instruments between 30 - 300 miles above Earth's surface. These altitudes are typically too high for science balloons and too low for satellites to access safely making sounding rockets the only platforms that can carry out direct in situ measurements in these regions.This animation is not annoted with the altitudes. Related pages

GraphicAn overview of the missions involved in the Grand Challenge Initiative-Cusp with the missions launched as of May 2019. A PDF version is available below.Credit: Mary P. Hrybyk-Keith InfographicAn overview of the missions involved in the Grand Challenge Initiative-Cusp with the missions launched as of May 2019. A PDF version is available below.Credit: Mary P. Hrybyk-Keith Booklet - pt. 1An overview of the missions involved in the Grand Challenge Initiative-Cusp with the missions launched as of May 2019. A PDF version is available below.Credit: Mary P. Hrybyk-Keith Booklet - pt. 2An overview of the missions involved in the Grand Challenge Initiative-Cusp with the missions launched as of May 2019. A PDF version is available below.Credit: Mary P. Hrybyk-Keith For More InformationSee [About the Grand Challenge Initiative-Cusp](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/nasa-joins-international-science-team-in-exploring-auroral-cusp-from-norway) Related pages

AZURE MissionColorful clouds formed by the release of vapors from the two AZURE rockets allow scientist to measure auroral winds.Credit: NASA/Lee Wingfield AZURE MissionOne of two Black Brant XI rockets leaves the launch pad at the Andøya Space Center in Norway for the AZURE mission. Credit: NASA/Lee Wingfield G-CHASER MissionG-CHASER launches from the Andøya Space Center in Norway.Credit: NASA/Chris Perry CAPER-2 MissionCAPER-2 launches from the Andøya Space Center.Credit: NASA/Chris Perry TRICE-2 MissionThe two TRICE-2 Black Brant XII sounding rockets are seen in this time-lapse photograph soaring into space over the Norwegian Sea.Credit: NASA/Jamie Adkins TRICE-2 MissionThis composite photo shows The Twin Rockets to Investigate Cusp Electrodynamics or TRICE-2 that were launched at 3:26 and 3:28 a.m. EST, Dec. 8, 2018, from the Andoya Space Center in Andenes, Norway. The motors firing on the sides of the first stages spin the rocket to assist in stabilization during flight. The mission is one of nine international missions through January 2020 called the Grand Challenge Initiative – Cusp.Credit: NASA/Jamie Adkins VISIONS-2 MissionTime-lapse photograph shows the first stages of the VISION-2 Black Brant X rockets as they leave the launch pad from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in Norway.Credit: NASA/ Allison Stancil-Ervin VISIONS-2 MissionTime-lapse photograph shows the first and second stages of the 2 Black Brant X rockets for VISIONS-2 and the telemetry antennas in the foreground as the rockets leave the launch pad from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in Norway.Credit: NASA/ Allison Stancil-Ervin. VISIONS-2 MissionOne of the two VISION-2 Black Brant X rockets breaks through its protective insulating foam box as it leaves the launch pad from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, in Norway.Credit: NASA/ Allison Stancil-Ervin For More InformationSee [NASA's Sounding Rockets](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sounding-rockets/index.html) Related pages