NASA engineers will hot-fire test a new sounding rocket motor, called Peregrine, for the first time on Tuesday, Feb. 10 in the east test area at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Media are invited to observe the test on Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. CST from the east test area viewing stands. In addition, journalists will have an opportunity to interview Phillip Franklin, Marshall propulsion engineer who manages the Peregrine project, and Lisa Tunstill, a systems engineer who helped design Peregrine, about the development and test of the sounding rocket motor.
NASA has flown sounding rockets since 1959 to provide up to 30 minutes at high altitudes—to make valuable observations of the Sun, stars, and atmosphere or to test out instrumentation or engineering equipment before use on more expensive space missions. The Peregrine motor being tested is part of a new sounding rocket development project involving several NASA Centers, the Army at Redstone Arsenal, and industry. During the test, the motor may produce up to 30,000 pounds of thrust. The objective of the test is to gather valuable data on the motor at operational temperatures and pressures. This data will help prepare the rocket for a March 2015 flight test from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
Reporters interested in covering the motor test should contact Janet Anderson or Tracy McMahan of the Marshall Public & Employee Communications Office at 256-544-0034.
Media must report to the Redstone Visitor Center at Gate 9, Interstate 565 interchange at Rideout Road/Research Park Boulevard no later than 11:45 CST, Tuesday, Feb. 10 for escort to the test area. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the gate. Journalists will need a photo identification and proof of car insurance.
For more information about Peregrine visit: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/new-sounding-rocket-motor-for-first-test-firing
Janet Anderson
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
janet.l.anderson@nasa.gov
Tracy McMahan
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
tracy.a.mcmahan@nasa.gov