After 2 cancellations, NASA’s TOMEX+ rockets are set for launch
The mesopause is the coldest layer of our atmosphere, with temperatures reaching nearly as low as −148 °F (−100 °C). The region, which lies about 53 to 65 miles (85 to 105 km) above sea level, forms the boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere.
The mesopause creates a link between Earth and space, transferring energy from the lower atmosphere upward. This upward transfer of energy can cause changes in atmospheric density, ultimately increasing the drag on satellites.
To track the turbulence in the mesopause, the TOMEX+ (Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment Plus) mission will focus on the sodium layer in the atmosphere — a layer created by tiny meteors constantly burning up in the sky. A specialized laser will excite the sodium atoms to make them glow, and their patterns can then be traced to measure the level of turbulence in the region.
The TOMEX+ mission — an upgrade to the TOMEX rocket launched in 2000 — will launch three rockets. The first two rockets will carry vapor tracers and will be launched within one minute of each other. The third rocket will go up about five minutes later. This rocket will carry a lidar (light detection and ranging) instrument. The vapor tracers will track wind patterns, while the lidar instrument will map the motion of sodium atoms. A combination of the data gathered will create a view of the turbulence in the mesopause.
The mission which was initially set to launch on August 18 has now been rescheduled twice and will now take off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility no earlier than August 21. Both postponements were made due to cloud cover.
