CONTACT: Ned Rozell, GI science writer, 907-474-7468, nrozell [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu

Fairbanks, Alaska—A NASA sounding rocket launched from Poker Flat Research Range and flew to an altitude of more than 100 vertical miles at 12:01 a.m. Alaska Standard Time on Feb. 9, 2010. The rocket released 12 vials of trimethyl-aluminum that glowed in colors from orange to blue about 70 miles above northern Alaska.

CONTACT: Ned Rozell, GI information officer, 907-474-7468, nrozell [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu

Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska—Scientists launched a NASA sounding rocket at 1:49 a.m. on the morning of Friday, January 28, 2011, achieving their goal of gathering an image of the Whirlpool Galaxy from a rocket that arced about 150 miles above northern Alaska.

CONTACT: Amy Hartley, GI information officer, 907-474-5823, amy [dot] hartley [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu

Fairbanks, Alaska— Three 40-pound unmanned aircraft from Poker Flat Research Range will support Alaska Shield — a statewide exercise on April 26 through May 2, 2010 — that will test Alaska’s ability to respond to a major disaster. Although the aircrafts’ specific mission will remain unknown until the exercise begins, PFRR staff is prepared to launch and fly the aircraft in the Anchorage area.

CONTACT: Amy Hartley, Geophysical Institute information officer, 907-474-5823, amy [dot] hartley [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu

Fairbanks, Alaska—The United States Navy has awarded the University of Alaska Fairbanks up to $47 million to test and evaluate payloads aboard small, unmanned aircraft.

CONTACT: Ned Rozell, GI information officer, 907-474-7468, nrozell [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu (nrozell [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu)

Fairbanks, Alaska—Scientists at Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks are preparing to launch two NASA sounding rockets for two experiments. The launch window for both experiments opens on Jan. 26 and extends until Feb. 15.

By Brian Keenan

UAF Geophysical Institute Outreach Office

Fairbanks, Alaska — The days of watching a space shuttle launch into the Florida sky may be numbered, but thanks to funding from the Alaska Space Grant Program, a fortunate few education professionals from Alaska have at least been able to witness the end of the era firsthand.