NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is set to host a rocket launch on Monday that could be visible from multiple mid-Atlantic states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.
The launch window opens at 10 p.m. and runs until 3 a.m., with the first two rockets launching within one minute of each other. These rockets will release colorful vapor tracers that allow scientists to photograph and map wind patterns in the upper atmosphere.
A third rocket carrying specialized lidar equipment is set to launch approximately five minutes later, using laser technology to track atmospheric movements and measure density changes over time.
The Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment Plus (TOMEX+) mission aims to study the mesopause, a critical boundary layer between Earth’s mesosphere and thermosphere located around 53-65 miles above the surface. This region is challenging for researchers due to its extreme temperatures and turbulence.
Led by Jim Clemmons, a physics and astronomy professor at the University of New Hampshire, the TOMEX+ mission will use three sounding rockets in a coordinated sequence. The mission builds on previous experiments with significant technological advancements.
The instruments will provide a clearer 3D view of turbulence at the edge of space, potentially improving our understanding of high-altitude cloud formation, satellite drag, and atmospheric processes on other planets.
NASA will offer a livestream of the launch on YouTube starting five minutes before launch.
Source: https://www.nj.com/news/2025/08/nasa-launch-of-3-rockets-with-colorful-vapor-trails-may-be-seen-from-several-eastern-states.html