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  • January Launch Planned for Rocket Lab’s Electron

    January Launch Planned for Rocket Lab’s Electron

    NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will support the launch of Rocket Lab USA’s first Electron rocket from Virginia at 6 p.m. EST, Monday, Jan. 23.

    The 59-foot-tall Electron rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. The mission, named “Virginia is for Launch Lovers,” will deploy radio frequency monitoring satellites for HawkEye 360. 

    The launch window for the mission is 6-8 p.m. with subsequent back-up launch days.

    With this mission, NASA is helping foster a growing low-Earth space economy and continues Wallops’ 35-year history of support to the commercial launch industry.

    The launch may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout much of the east coast of the United States.

    Viewing locations on Chincoteague Island include Robert Reed Park on Main Street or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations. The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will be open for this launch, and will open at 4 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 23.

    A live launch webcast will be available at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream beginning about 40 minutes before launch.

  • NG-18 Launch To The ISS November 6th

    NG-18 Launch To The ISS November 6th

    Rise and shine early to catch the next launch of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

    The next Antares launch is scheduled for 5:50 a.m. EST, Sunday, Nov. 6, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport’s Pad 0A on Wallops Island.

    The launch just before sunrise may be visible, weather permitting, to residents throughout the mid-Atlantic region and possibly the East Coast of the United States.

    This will be Northrop Grumman’s 18th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, delivering science investigations, supplies and equipment to the International Space Station.

    The time changes from Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) to Eastern Standard Time (EST) at 2 a.m., Nov. 6. Take the change into account when making your plans and remember to turn your clock back one-hour when going to bed the night of Nov. 5.

    Viewing locations on Chincoteague Island include Robert Reed Park on Main Street or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations.

    The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will be open for this launch. Gates open at 3:30 a.m. EST.

    Live coverage of the mission countdown is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:50 a.m. EDT on the Wallops IBM video site.

    Launch coverage and mission commentary will air live on NASA TV at 5:30 a.m. EST. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: 

    http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

    Launch coverage also will be available on the agency’s website, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and NASA’s App. Launch updates will be available via the Wallops Facebook and Twitter pages.

    Members of the public can also share in the journey through a variety of activities including registering to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following a successful launch.

    For more information about International Space Station, visit: 

    http://www.nasa.gov/station

    Get more information about Northrop Grumman, its Antares rocket and the Cygnus cargo spacecraft at:

    http://www.nasa.gov/northropgrumman

  • NASA Rocket Launch Will Test Science Package for Future Missions At Wallops Island!

    NASA Rocket Launch Will Test Science Package for Future Missions At Wallops Island!

    Credits: NASA Wallops/Berit Bland

    NASA will test new science equipment for future missions with a sounding rocket launch August 22 from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

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    The Sporadic-E ElectroDynamics Demonstration mission, or SpEED Demon, will fly new instrumentation along with heritage instruments that have flown on other sounding rocket missions, but not together. The SpEED Demon instruments will be further improved based on results from this launch and will subsequently fly on a science mission targeted for summer 2024 from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and possibly many other sounding rocket opportunities.

    Credits: NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility

    SpEED Demon will launch on a 40-foot tall Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket between 9 p.m. EDT Aug. 22 and 1 a.m. Aug. 23. The backup launch dates are Aug. 23 through Aug. 27.

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    The NASA Wallops Visitor Center will open to the public at 8 p.m. on launch day for viewing the flight. The rocket launch is expected to be visible from the mid-Atlantic/Chesapeake Bay region. Live coverage of the mission is scheduled to begin at 8:40 p.m. on the Wallops YouTube site.

    NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) spacecraft discovered “layers” and “rifts” in the electrically charged part of the upper atmosphere (the ionosphere) of Mars. The phenomenon is similar to commonly occurring sporadic-E layers on Earth, which SpEED Demon is studying, that can cause unpredictable disruptions to radio communications. This unexpected discovery by MAVEN shows that Mars is a unique laboratory to explore and better understand this highly disruptive phenomenon that can occur on presumably any planet.
    Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
  • NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center Reopens With New Activities Post Covid Shutdown

    NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center Reopens With New Activities Post Covid Shutdown

    The Visitor Center at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility is reopening to the public beginning May 6, 2022, after being closed for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT on Fridays and Saturdays through June 4.  Beginning June 7, the center will be open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays.

    Photos of the new sounding rocket display at NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center.

    “We are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to the Visitor Center! While we have enjoyed our busy virtual schedule, we’re so excited to introduce visitors to our new in-person pop-up programs and activities!” said Amy Barra, Visitor Center director.

    The Visitor Center staff has brought the excitement of NASA research to the public virtually for the past two years. During this time, over 539 programs have been conducted, reaching more than 28,315 people from 46 states and 16 countries across five continents.

    Photos of the new sounding rocket display at NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center.

    “The virtual field trips have been enthusiastically received by the public,” Bara said. “These will continue and will be available to groups on Tuesdays once the Visitor Center returns to normal operations in June. In-person programs also will resume this summer.”

    The Visitor Center is open to the public with no admission fee. The center showcases the research activities at Wallops and throughout NASA through exhibits, full-scale rocket displays, and hands-on activities.

  • Service Member Killed in E-2D Crash Identified

    Service Member Killed in E-2D Crash Identified

    From Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Public Affairs

    NORFOLK, Va. – On Wednesday, March 30, Lt. Hyrum Hanlon, assigned to Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 120 lost his life when an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye conducting routine flight operations crashed in the vicinity of Wallops Island and Chincoteague, Va. ​

    Lt. Hyrum Hanlon

    Hanlon, who commissioned in the Navy from Arizona State University in May 2017, reported to VAW-120 Jan. 31, 2021. 

    “It takes a courageous and patriotic person to devote their life to the selflessness of serving in the armed forces,” said Cmdr. Martin Fentress Jr., Commanding Officer of VAW-120 “Hyrum embodied those characteristics and will be truly missed by his family and the Hawkeye community. We sincerely appreciate the public respecting the family’s privacy during this difficult time as they mourn his loss.” 

    The U.S. Navy continues to coordinate with state and local officials on the salvage planning efforts of the E-2D aircraft. The health and safety of the local community is a top priority during recovery efforts; overflight aircraft confirmed no pollution or discharge of fuel in the area. Salvage operations are expected to proceed in accordance with standard procedures which consider all environmental impacts.   

    The cause of the mishap remains under investigation. 

  • Navy E2-D Hawkeye Crash In Chincoteague Bay | 1 Fatality / 2 Rescued

    Navy E2-D Hawkeye Crash In Chincoteague Bay | 1 Fatality / 2 Rescued

    The US Navy reports that a plane went down in the Chincoteague Bay just outside of the NASA Wallops Island Flight around 7:30PM on Wednesday. A Navy E2-D Hawkeye was conducting normal routine flight operations when, for unknown reasons, the aircraft went down into the waters of the Chincoteague Bay.

    Upon arrival of the Coast Guard, the Ocean City Dive Team, Accomack County VA’s, and Wicomico County first responders found two individuals who escaped to the top of the aircraft.

    TV Delmarva News has learned that a third person was still inside the aircraft at the time of the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. The two other crew members sustained non-life threatening injuries.

    Navy E2-D Hawkeye Aircraft

    An investigation remains ongoing at this time to determine what caused the crash of the E2-D Hawkeye. The names of the crew members and pilot are being withheld at this time.

  • Rocket Launch Scheduled Tonight from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility

    Rocket Launch Scheduled Tonight from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility

    A two-stage suborbital sounding rocket is scheduled for launch March 21, 2022, for a mission managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory/Air Force Office of Scientific Research, from NASA’s launch range at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

    The launch of the Terrier-Improved Malemute rocket is scheduled between 7-10 p.m. EDT, March 21. The backup launch dates are March 22 through April 1.

    The purpose of the mission, called Boundary Layer Turbulence 2, or BOLT-2, is to increase the understanding of boundary layer transition, turbulent heating, and drag on vehicles flying at hypersonic conditions. Boundary layer transition to turbulence is the process where smooth, laminar flow becomes unstable after which turbulence dominates and significantly increases heating and drag on high-speed vehicles.

    Live coverage of the mission is scheduled to begin at 6:40 p.m. EDT on the Wallops YouTube site. Launch updates will be available on the Wallops Facebook and Twitter pages.

    The rocket launch is expected to be visible from the Chesapeake Bay region. The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will not be open for viewing the launch.

  • Rocket Lab Coming To Delmarva! | Opens 250 Jobs To The Wallops Island Region.

    Rocket Lab Coming To Delmarva! | Opens 250 Jobs To The Wallops Island Region.

    NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia was selected by Rocket Lab as the home for its new Neutron rocket’s first launch pad and production facility, further supporting the growth of commercial space capabilities in Virginia.

    The Neutron Production Complex will include a rocket production, assembly, and integration facility just outside the NASA gate to Wallops Island.  The dedicated launch pad will be located on the south end of Wallops Island.

    “NASA’s only owned and operated launch range at Wallops Flight Facility supports small- and medium-class orbital rocket launches, which are key contributors to a growing space economy,” said Wallops Director David Pierce. “The high-tech jobs created by this move are vital for the Wallops region, and I’m excited we’re bringing more of the agency’s expertise to Rocket Lab, Virginia Space, and all our partners on the Eastern Shore.”

    Rocket Lab has targeted the first Neutron medium class orbital rocket launch for no earlier than 2024.

    “We congratulate the Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Space and Accomack County working with Rocket Lab to bring this next chapter of commercial space operations to Wallops,” said Pierce. “We welcome Rocket Lab’s expansion on the Shore and look forward to working with them in bringing this new launch capability to reality.”

    Wallops is a multi-user/multi-tenant facility in a geographic location ideal for supporting satellite tracking and commanding, military operations and training, scientific investigations, technology development and testing, as well as commercial aerospace. The facility’s diverse mission sets and on-site partners, including the U.S. Navy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Coast Guard, and Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, are a model for leveraging and optimizing multi-organizational capabilities and support services.

    A robust and competitive low-Earth orbit economy is vital to continued progress in space. The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of the U.S. commercial space sector that supports America’s needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the next generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. NASA has developed a long-term vision to achieve this goal where, one day, NASA will become one of many customers in low-Earth orbit. This plan builds on, uses the capabilities of, and applies the lessons learned from decades of work and experience with commercial companies.

    Written By: Keith Koehler
    NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia

  • NASA Wallops Island Gearing Up For The CRS-17 Launch To The ISS Next Weekend

    NASA Wallops Island Gearing Up For The CRS-17 Launch To The ISS Next Weekend

    NASA and commercial cargo provider Northrop Grumman are targeting 12:40 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 19, for the launch of the company’s 17th resupply mission to the International Space Station from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.

    Live launch coverage will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website, as well as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and NASA’s App, beginning at 12:15 p.m.

    TV Delmarva will be in Wallops Island to bring you live coverage from ground level with this mission

    Loaded with more than 8,200 pounds of research, crew supplies, and hardware, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft will launch on the company’s Antares rocket from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport.

    The Cygnus spacecraft, named the S.S. Piers Sellers in honor of the late NASA astronaut who spent nearly 35 days across three missions helping to construct the space station, will arrive at the orbiting outpost Monday, Feb. 21. At about 4:35 a.m., NASA astronaut Raja Chari will capture Cygnus, with NASA astronaut Kayla Barron acting as backup. After Cygnus capture, mission control in Houston will send ground commands for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the station’s Unity module Earth-facing port.

    Highlights of space station research facilitated by this mission include:

    • a study that examines the effects of a drug on breast and prostate cancer cells;
    • a new combustion facility
    • an investigation from Colgate-Palmolive that will leverage the acceleration of skin aging in microgravity to help create and validate an engineered tissue model to serve as a platform for testing potential products to protect aging skin
    • a demonstration of a lithium-ion secondary battery capable of safe, stable operation under extreme temperatures and in a vacuum environment
    • new hydrogen sensors that will be tested for the space station’s oxygen generation system
    • a system that will test hydroponic and aeroponic techniques for plant growth and will allow scientists to observe root growth through video and still images

    The Cygnus spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until May, when it will depart the station, disposing of several tons of trash during a fiery reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.