NASA to Create Colorful Clouds on June 15 After Seven Failed Attempts
Now on their eighth attempt, NASA hopes to launch a rocket that contains canisters that will create a colorful light show in the form of clouds. The launch was originally scheduled for June 13, but because of weather problems, it has been rescheduled to June 15.
NASA's intention is to create a man-made aurora through a rocket. The Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. It contains 10 soda can-sized canisters, which are filled with colored vapor that will create artificial clouds. Though the nature of the vapor is a mystery, the space agency has announced that there will be no danger to the well-being of the residents directly under the light show, especially since it will be a hundred miles above ground.
"These launches have to occur just after sunset or right before sunrise. You need sunlight to hit the vapors and activate them as they're released," NASA Wallops spokesperson Keith Koehler told Business Insider when asked to explain the process. "Auroras dance across the sky, and this is not that."
The light show will be seen by people on the East Coast and those living as far as New York City. Based on the tests, it takes about five minutes after launch before the rocket releases the canisters into space. Because it needs sunlight to be activated, the launch is scheduled to happen when it's already dark but the sun is still visible. June 15's launch window is scheduled from 8:05 to 8:20 p.m. EDT.
Fans of the space agency's many experiments are hoping for clear skies and that the eighth time is the charm. The delays have the hype dying down but NASA is nothing but persistent. For those living outside the East Coast, NASA has a live stream that will feature the experiment as well as regular updates posted on their Wallops social media sites.
