2010 rocket season begins at Poker Flat Research Range
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 2, 2010
CONTACT: Amy Hartley, Geophysical Institute information officer, 907-474-5823, amy [dot] hartley [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu Fairbanks, Alaska—The launch window opened at Poker Flat Research Range at 8 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on Feb. 1, 2010. Range staff members will launch two NASA sounding rockets this season that will allow researchers to better understand winds of the upper atmosphere and aurora dynamics.
PDF DownloadPoker Flat Launch Season Extended
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Poker Flat Research Range has extended its rocket season with a third launch window. The addition will give two rocket missions designed to study the aurora more time to perform their experiments. From March 19 through April 7, scientists will look for the optimal weather and aurora conditions to launch six rockets.
UAF researcher to tip rocket science on its side
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UAF Geophysical Institute Assistant Professor of Physics Mark Conde will attempt to turn rocket science on its side with an aurora experiment with a launch window of February 22 through March 10. Conde is the principal investigator of the first institute-led rocket launch at Poker Flat Research Range since 1995.
The mission, known as the Horizontal E-region Experiment or HEX project, will differ from other Poker Flat launches because the rocket will tip on its side in mid-flight.
Seven rockets scheduled for launch from Poker Flat Research Range
Seven rockets carrying experiments used to study the aurora are scheduled for launch from Poker Flat Research Range this winter. The projects include a group of four rockets launched in rapid succession to measure wind in the upper atmosphere and one rocket that will turn on its side mid-flight, allowing it to pierce a curtain of aurora horizontally.
Poker Flat Research Range launches 2010’s first rocket
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.
