rex
2023-11-23 08:55:25 UTC
A rocket carrying a U.S. Space Force satellite into orbit may have punched
a hole in Earth's upper atmosphere, after lifting off with just 27 hours'
notice a new record for the shortest amount of time from getting the go-
ahead to actually launching.
Firefly Aerospace, a company contracted by Space Force, launched one of
its Alpha rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sept.
14 at 10:28 p.m. local time, Live Science's sister site Space.com
reported. The launch was not publicized or live-streamed, making it a
complete surprise to the space exploration community.
The rocket was carrying Space Force's Victus Nox satellite (Latin for
"conquer the night"), which will run a "space domain awareness" mission to
help Space Force keep tabs on what is happening in the orbital
environment.
The surprise rocket initially caught people's eye after creating an
enormous exhaust plume that could be seen from more than 1,000 miles
(1,600 kilometers) away. But after the plume dissipated, a faint red glow
remained in the sky, which is a telltale sign that the rocket created a
hole in the ionosphere the part of Earth's atmosphere where gases are
ionized, which stretches between 50 and 400 miles (80 and 645 km) above
Earth's surface Spaceweather.com reported.
Related: Environmental groups sue US government over explosive SpaceX
rocket launch
This is not the first "ionospheric hole" observed this year. In July, the
launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket created an enormous blood-red patch
above Arizona that could be seen for hundreds of miles.
Rockets create ionospheric holes when fuel from their second stages burns
in the middle part of the ionosphere, between 125 and 185 miles (200 and
300 km) above Earth's surface, Live Science previously reported. At this
height, the carbon dioxide and water vapor from the rocket's exhaust cause
ionized oxygen atoms to recombine, or form back into normal oxygen
molecules. This process excites the molecules and leads them to emit
energy in the form of light. This is similar to how auroras form, except
the dancing lights are caused by solar radiation heating up gases rather
than their recombination.
The holes pose no threat to people on Earth's surface and naturally close
up within a few hours as the recombined gases get re-ionized.
https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/us-space-force-may-
have-accidentally-punched-a-hole-in-the-upper-atmosphere
a hole in Earth's upper atmosphere, after lifting off with just 27 hours'
notice a new record for the shortest amount of time from getting the go-
ahead to actually launching.
Firefly Aerospace, a company contracted by Space Force, launched one of
its Alpha rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Sept.
14 at 10:28 p.m. local time, Live Science's sister site Space.com
reported. The launch was not publicized or live-streamed, making it a
complete surprise to the space exploration community.
The rocket was carrying Space Force's Victus Nox satellite (Latin for
"conquer the night"), which will run a "space domain awareness" mission to
help Space Force keep tabs on what is happening in the orbital
environment.
The surprise rocket initially caught people's eye after creating an
enormous exhaust plume that could be seen from more than 1,000 miles
(1,600 kilometers) away. But after the plume dissipated, a faint red glow
remained in the sky, which is a telltale sign that the rocket created a
hole in the ionosphere the part of Earth's atmosphere where gases are
ionized, which stretches between 50 and 400 miles (80 and 645 km) above
Earth's surface Spaceweather.com reported.
Related: Environmental groups sue US government over explosive SpaceX
rocket launch
This is not the first "ionospheric hole" observed this year. In July, the
launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket created an enormous blood-red patch
above Arizona that could be seen for hundreds of miles.
Rockets create ionospheric holes when fuel from their second stages burns
in the middle part of the ionosphere, between 125 and 185 miles (200 and
300 km) above Earth's surface, Live Science previously reported. At this
height, the carbon dioxide and water vapor from the rocket's exhaust cause
ionized oxygen atoms to recombine, or form back into normal oxygen
molecules. This process excites the molecules and leads them to emit
energy in the form of light. This is similar to how auroras form, except
the dancing lights are caused by solar radiation heating up gases rather
than their recombination.
The holes pose no threat to people on Earth's surface and naturally close
up within a few hours as the recombined gases get re-ionized.
https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/us-space-force-may-
have-accidentally-punched-a-hole-in-the-upper-atmosphere