NASA Wallops has “picture perfect” launch

NASA Wallops had as one spectator described, “a picture perfect launch” Thursday, as they sent their Black Brant 7 Sounding Rocket into suborbit.

The rocket tested new technology that will eventually be used in spacecraft, but first needed to be taken for a “test drive” according to NASA.

The primary objective NASA said, was to characterize the modified Black Brant sounding rocket motor’s performance in a two-stage configuration.

Overall, the flight tested the rocket motor, launch vehicle, spacecraft systems and sub-payload ejection technologies.

Close to 200 people showed up at the Wallops Island Visitor for the launch and although the rocket was only visible for less than a minute, those in attendance said the experience alone was well worth it.

“It was just spectacular. I mean when you look at the displays here it’s
incomprehensible that somebody thought this up and it all works,” said Bruce Andrew, who witnessed his first rocket launch Wednesday. 

Rocket-launch veterans, Maria Pippen and Daniel Defrancisco called the experience “awesome.”

“To stand here and feel the ground move and to hear the sound is so much better than watching on television,” Pippen said.

According to NASA, the payload flew to an altitude of 160 miles and impacted in the Atlantic Ocean.

Preliminary indications from NASA are that the motor performed as planned, while the more in depth data analysis of the technology experiments on the payload is in progress.

Although not visible from the viewing section at Wallop’s Island, the rocket also tested a deployment system for forming vapor clouds in space for wind and ionosphere studies and ejectable sub-payloads testing data.  NASA said the vapors had tracers in them that produced a blue-green and red color and was used to increase their visibility.

According to NASA, early reports from the public are that the launch vapor cloud from one of the technology experiments was seen from New Jersey to western Pennsylvania, central Maryland and the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

The next launch currently scheduled from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility is a Terrier-Improved Malemute suborbital sounding rocket in November.