Not many people can say they launched experiments into space. Even fewer can say they took part in a rocket launch as students. On Thursday, June 20, students from community colleges and universities across the nation will have their experiments launched into space after completing a week-long workshop at Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
The annual RockOn! launch takes place from 5:30–9:30 a.m. on June 20 at Wallops Island. Even though the launch is nearly a 200-mile drive from Northern Virginia, it will be visible right from your backyard. The rocket will be visible throughout the region 10 to 30 seconds after the launch, depending on cloud coverage.
The Wallops Visitors Center viewing area will open at 4:30 a.m. for those wanting to catch the mission in person. A live stream of the rocket launch will be available starting 15 minutes before the scheduled launch. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be pushed back to June 21.
The RockOn! Workshop is an annual experience that gives students and faculty a hands-on opportunity to conduct experiments and learn how to build and launch it aboard a sounding rocket. The week-long event concludes with its own launch.
“RockOn provides students and faculty with authentic, hands-on experiences tied to an actual launch into space from a NASA facility,” said Chris Koehler, on contract with NASA as RockOn’s principal investigator. “These experiences are instrumental in the creation of our next STEM workforce.”
Fifty teams are part of the mission, which includes teams from Old Dominion University, Temple University, University of Delaware, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Southeastern Louisiana University.
The next mission at Wallops Flight Facility is scheduled no earlier than August 13.
Feature image by NASA/Kyle Hoppes
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