Science

NASA reports rocket explosion on Wallops Island

by William Atkins

Saturday, 23 August 2008

Page 3 of 3

Also onboard was the Sub-Orbital Aerodynamic Re-entry Experiments VI (SOAREX-VI).

Developed by the NASA Ames Research Center, it was an experiment to validate a new reentry vehicle shape, called the Slotted Compression RAMP (SCRAMP), a more efficient way to send humans and cargo through atmospheres. SCRAMP is shaped like a "blunt-nosed cylinder mounted on a ring." [NASA]

Before the flight, Marc Murbach, principal investigator for SOAREX-VI, stated, "The SCRAMP design offers a super-stable re-entry system -- sort of like a big hypersonic badminton birdie that rights itself nose-forward after tumbling. The slot between the cylinder and the circular heat shield also enhances drag and stability." [NASA]

An atmospheric density calibration probe was also a part of the SOAREX-VI payload.

In addition to these two experiments, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory had onboard a receiver and transmitter (nicknamed "Melonsat") that was being used to test for ocean recoveries with respect to an automatic identification system (AIS). Its "melon" shape gave it its nickname.

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