Wind-Weighting Balloon Launch

On the night of Feb. 4, 2013, NASA Goddard scientists watched a lighted wind-weighting balloon launch to measure the winds and see if conditions were acceptable for a sounding rocket launch in Poker Flats, Alaska.

ISIONS Project Scientist Doug Rowland stands next to the payload during the final days of testing Poker Flats, Alaska before launch on Jan. 30, 2013.

A beautiful view with clear skies greeted the science team for NASA's VISIONS sounding rocket mission (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm) on Feb. 1, 2013.

This image shows a beautiful auroral display over Bear Lake, Alaska on Jan. 19, 2005.

The VISIONS instruments are shown here on the table as the team gets them ready for flight. This image was taken Feb. 5, 2013.

NASA's VISIONS (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm) sounding rocket will launch in early February, 2013, from the Poker Flat Research Range the entrance of which is shown here.

On the night of Feb. 2, 2013, a team of NASA scientists waited in Poker Flats, Alaska to see if conditions were right to launch the VISIONS sounding rocket mission (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm). The mission studies what makes the aurora, and how it affects Earths atmosphere.

A wind weighting balloon is launched to measure the winds on Feb. 4, 2013, at Poker Flats, Alaska in anticipation of the VISIONS (VISualizing Ion Outflow via Neutral atom imaging during a Substorm) sounding rocket launch.

Inside this geodesic dome is the 11-meter Universal Space Network (USN) Poker Flat Satellite Station antenna in Poker Flats, Alaska. This image was taken Feb. 5, 2013.

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NASA Rocket Launch Studies Northern Lights (Photos)