Sounding Rockets

Sounding rockets are a low-cost alternative to conventional satellites; their lower horizontal velocities and higher data rates allow for a more detailed look at small scale phenomena. Launched in locations from Norway to Puerto Rico, these missions are designed to fly into the Earth's ionosphere, taking measurements to study the magnetosphere and to study phenomena such as the acceleration of ions and electrons above the aurora. All scientific payloads are sponsored by the NASA Sounding Rocket Program.

New! Data from rocket missions