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NASA Fourth of July Launch: Liftoff
Credit: NASA/Patrick Black
A NASA Black Brant V sounding rocket launches from the agency's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va., at 10:31:25 a.m. ET on July 4, 2013. The rocket was the first of two to launch in support of the Daytime Dynamo experiment. The Terrier-Improved Orion (foreground) was launched 15 seconds later. [Read the Full Story]
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Contrails Over Wallops
Credit: NASA/Patrick Black
Contrails line the sky over Wallops Island, Va., on July 4, 2013 after two sounding rockets launched 15 seconds apart as part of the Daytime Dynamo experiment. A NASA Black Brant V was launched at 10:31:25 a.m. and was followed 15 seconds later by a Terrier-Improved Orion. [Read the Full Story]
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NASA Fourth of July Rocket Launches
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility
One of two small sounding rockets launches from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on July 4, 2013, just in time for the Fourth of July holiday, as part of the Daytime Dynamo mission to probe Earth's ionosphere. Here, a Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket zooms from its Wallops Island, Va., launch pad. [Read the Full Story]
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First of Four Sounding Rockets Launched from the Marshall Islands
Credit: NASA
The Metal Oxide Space Cloud Experiment (MOSC) released a Samarium vapor into the atmosphere minutes after its launch from the Marshall Islands creating a red cloud of charged particles in the ionosphere. Launch took place on May 7, 2013.
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Terrier-Improved Orion Rocket Launches
Credit: NASA/John Grant
A NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket leaves the launch pad at Roi Namur, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, as part of the Equatorial Vortex Experiment (EVEX). The rocket was launched 90 seconds after a Terrier-Oriole sounding rocket as part of a study of post-sunset solar storms. Launch took place on May 7, 2013.
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NASA’s Equatorial Vortex Experiment
Credit: NASA/John Grant
Red and white vapor clouds filled the skies over the Marshall Islands as part of NASA’s Equatorial Vortex Experiment (EVEX). The red cloud was formed by the release of lithium vapor and the white tracer clouds were formed by the release of trimethyl aluminum (TMA). These clouds allowed scientists on the ground from various locations in the Marshall Islands to observe the neutral winds in the ionosphere.
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VISIONS Launch
Credit: NASA/Goddard/Chris Perry
NASA’s VISIONS mission launched a rocket from Alaska into the northern lights on Feb. 7, 2013, to discover the secrets of auroras.
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A Green Aurora
Credit: NASA/Goddard/Chris Perry
On the night of Feb. 6, 2013, a green aurora appeared in the Alaskan night sky. Conditions were finally right to launch VISIONS.
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VISIONS Rocket Launch
Credit: NASA/Goddard/Chris Perry
NASA’s VISIONS mission launched a rocket from Alaska into the northern lights on Feb. 7, 2013, to discover the secrets of auroras.
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Rocket Launch VISIONS Mission
Credit: NASA/Goddard/Chris Perry
NASA’s VISIONS mission launched a rocket into the northern lights on Feb. 7, 2013, to discNASA’s VISIONS mission launched a rocket from Alaska into the northern lights on Feb. 7, 2013, to discover the secrets of auroras.over the secrets of auroras.
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NASA Launches Sounding Rocket: Jan. 29, 2013
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility/Terry Zaperach
NASA’s VISIONS mission launched a rocket from Alaska into the northern lights on Feb. 7, 2013, to discover the secrets of auroras.
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NASA Launches Sounding Rocket: Jan. 29, 2013
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility/Terry Zaperach
NASA’s VISIONS mission launched a rocket from Alaska into the northern lights on Feb. 7, 2013, to discover the secrets of auroras.
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NASA Launches Sounding Rocket: Jan. 29, 2013
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility/Terry Zaperach
A NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket launches toward space on a mission to create glowing red clouds above Earth on Jan. 29, 2013. The rocket launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
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Ascent: NASA Sounding Rocket Soars Spaceward, Jan. 29, 2013
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility/Terry Zaperach
A NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket streaks toward space on a mission to create glowing red clouds above Earth on Jan. 29, 2013. The rocket launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
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Ascent: NASA Sounding Rocket Soars Spaceward, Jan. 29, 2013
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility/Terry Zaperach
A NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket streaks toward space to create glowing red clouds above Earth on Jan. 29, 2013. The rocket launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
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Ascent: NASA Sounding Rocket Soars Spaceward, Jan. 29, 2013
Credit: NASA Wallops Flight Facility/Terry Zaperach
A NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket launches toward space on a mission to create glowing red clouds above Earth on Jan. 29, 2013. The rocket launched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
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Water and Space: NASA Sounding Rocket Launch
Credit: Courtesy of Brea Reeves / NASA/Wallops Flight Facility
A NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket roars toward space on a mission to create glowing red clouds above Earth on Jan. 29, 2013. The rocket launched from NASA's seaside Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Va.
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NASA VISIONS Rocket Flies Into Alaskan Aurora
Credit: Sebastian Saarloos
NASA-supported VISIONS rocket launched from Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska on Feb. 6, 2013. The rocket flew into an aurora to investigate its properties.
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VISIONS: Seeing the Aurora in a New Light
Credit: NASA/Goddard/Chris Perry
On the night of Feb. 4, 2013, NASA Goddard scientists watched a lighted wind-weighting balloon launch to measure the winds and see if conditions were acceptable for a sounding rocket launch in Poker Flats, Alaska. Wind-weighting balloons help the launch team correct the rocket trajectory to make up for low level winds.
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RockOn and RockSat-C Programs Experiments Launched
Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
On June 20, 2013, a NASA Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket carried aloft experiments built by university instructors and students from across the country through the RockOn and RockSat-C programs conducted with the Colorado and Virginia Space Grant Consortia. The launch took place at Wallops Flight Facility, Va.










































