Rocket Launch Expected to Give Eastern Shore a Show

NASA has announced plans to launch a sub-orbital rocket at Wallops Island, Virginia, this week containing experiments from universities across the country, including nearby Virginia Tech.

And because the rocket’s peak altitude will only be approximately 94 miles, residents along the Eastern Shore should be able to check out the launch from their own backyards without having to travel to the Wallops Visitor Center, provided their backyard or other viewing area has a clear view of the sky.

The launch of the Terrier-Improved Malemute suborbital sounding rocket is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 12, between 6-10 a.m., but NASA already announced backup dates on Aug. 13 and 14 should conditions not lend themselves to a launch Wednesday morning.

Among the experiments traveling on the rocket is a 3D printer engineered by Virginia Tech students. The printer was designed to operate in space and collect information about the effects of changing gravitational loads on 3D printing.

NASA said Virginia Tech then plans to share the results and make any necessary adjustments to the 3D printer based on those results.

For more information about the rocket, click here.

Patch file photo