NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
The NASA Sounding Rocket Program and space sciencesHigh altitude suborbital rockets (sounding rockets) have been extensively used for space science research in the post-World War II period; the NASA Sounding Rocket Program has been on-going since the inception of the Agency and supports all space science disciplines. In recent years, sounding rockets have been utilized to provide a low gravity environment for materials processing research, particularly in the commercial sector. Sounding rockets offer unique features as a low gravity flight platform. Quick response and low cost combine to provide more frequent spaceflight opportunities. Suborbital spacecraft design practice has achieved a high level of sophistication which optimizes the limited available flight times. High data-rate telemetry, real-time ground up-link command and down-link video data are routinely used in sounding rocket payloads. Standard, off-the-shelf, active control systems are available which limit payload body rates such that the gravitational environment remains less than 10(-4) g during the control period. Operational launch vehicles are available which can provide up to 7 minutes of experiment time for experiment weights up to 270 kg. Standard payload recovery systems allow soft impact retrieval of payloads. When launched from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, payloads can be retrieved and returned to the launch site within hours.
Document ID
20040121842
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Gurkin, L. W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD United States)
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: ASGSB bulletin : publication of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
ISSN: 0898-4697
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Flight Experiment
Sounding Rocket
unmanned
short duration

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available