It IS Rocket Science

Those old jokes about something “not being rocket science” do not apply here on the VA eastern shore.

WHY ?

Because at the Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore this past Sunday afternoon, Orbital Sciences Corporation, a VA-based U.S. commercial partner of NASA launched an Antares rocket into space carrying a “mass simulated payload.”

As we watched from our back patio around 5 pm,the rocket headed to orbit. Perfect weather conditions allowed viewing by spectators not only on the Eastern Shore, but other parts of the East Coast.

These photos were taken with a digital camera with a limited 12X digital zoom; Wallops Island is a 45-minute drive from our home.

It was a perfect countdown and launch as the Antares rocket roared off the launch pad. Before the engines were throttled down in Stage 1, the vehicle was traveling at more than 7,000 mph. The engine rumble was clearly heard.

The successful launch followed 2 earlier postponements last week.  The original Wednesday launch date was scrubbed when a connecting cable came loose. The rescheduled Saturday launch was cancelled due to unfavorable wind conditions.The launch of the Antares rocket and payload from the Wallops flight facility is part of the effort to rely on U.S. companies for future launches of supplies and personnel to the International Space Station.

Orbital has a $1.9 billion with NASA to send eight resupply missions to the Space Station. The next Antares launch will be the first demo flight of the unmanned Cygnus spacecraft, set to bring a test payload to the ISS. That mission is set to take place in late June or early July.

YES, there is rocket science on the VA eastern shore.

Wallops IS Rocket Science

No kidding.

At the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, just about everything is all about rocket science, aside from the balloon program, more on that later.
And, it’s not often that folks get to tour this facility. After all, it is a government/military agency and those armed guards and barbed-wire fences are meant to keep people out.

But not yesterday when Wallops hosted a party – a 65th Anniversary celebration with a public open house. There were no candles or cake, not even a rocket launch, but there were robotic displays, touch tanks, F18 jets, USAF Thunderbirds, exhibits and demos, giveaways and cups of free homemade ice cream. If you ever go to Chincoteague, VA, head to The Island Creamery for ice cream. Sorry,but you’ll have to pay for it since you missed the “free” stuff at Wallops.


 
 
But, I digress, which is so easy for me to do, just ask Grenville.
Wallops is not an acronym, but gets its name from John Wallop, a 17th century surveyor and original owner of the island, who was granted the land by the English crown in 1692. (More on an English connection later.)

It’s one of the oldest rocket launch sites in the world.
Since its first rocket launch on July 4, 1945, Wallops has launched over 14,000 rockets from a 6-square mile island off the east coast of Virginia. There’s no astronaut or space shuttle space launches like at that other space center in Florida, but it’s a lot closer to the Frog and PenguINN – only a 45-minute drive, compared to 13 hours and 840 miles to Florida.

So, if there’s no astronauts or shuttles, what DOES Wallops launch?
Lots of sounding rockets - research rockets that carry payloads. No, not ones with money (that’s only the cost). These payloads are instruments to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during sub-orbital flight. The rockets are not only launched from Wallops, but are made there as well.


 
Our favorite exhibit was the NASA Balloon program. These are not party balloons, but BIG high-altitude balloons for scientific and technological studies. Correction, I meant to say these balloons are HUGE. When fully inflated, they are the size of a football field or stadium.And they are made of something you probably have at home in the pantry or kitchen. Look at a sandwich wrap bag and there you have it. These balloons use lots of thin polyethylene material and a whole lot more helium to keep them afloat.

The balloon carries a payload (no money) that includes instruments needed to carry out scientific experiments. Wallops annually launches an average of 25 scientific balloons, NOT from the eastern shore. Balloons are launched from the the NASA Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Texas, the Scientific Balloon Flight Facility in New Mexico, and worldwide. We watched a video touting the safety record of balloon launches, that apparently preceded this dramatic April 2010 crash in Alice Springs, Australia.

That was a big $$$ loss, so maybe NASA balloon experts should have consulted with non-expert British space enthusiast Robert Harrison, who in March 2010, took photos from space with a budget of £500 – under $750 (USD)compared to NASA’s multi-million dollar expenses. Here’s how Harrison’s successful budget balloon project worked:
  
Grenville and I are thinking of doing our own balloon launch in the F&P backyard. He thinks it will be even more fun than the remote control helicopter he was thinking about trying. Expenses would be low since we can buy sandwich bags from the local dollar stores and already have a Canon PowerShot® digital camera. Just need a source for some helium…

And, if  it works, maybe we’ll host an open house and party
with FREE ice cream – just like NASA – you're all invited too! enjoy