The Next Years Promise Frequent Rocket Launches at Wallops Island
18th Mar 2022Although NASA plans to put the International Space Station (ISS) out of action by 2031, it doesn’t stop rocket launches from Wallops Island, Virginia. In fact, the rocket launch schedule for the following years in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport is only bound to get busier. At the same time, NASA is looking to collaborate more with private enterprises. The rocket launch schedule in February, for example, sent off a cargo mission to resupply the ISS with science experiments. These included tests to study plant growth in space and possible cancer treatments. Furthermore, the rocket launch planned for later in 2022 will carry payloads from the Coast Guard academy and ODUs.
The Next Rocket Launch to Take CubeSats to Space
Virginia Tech, a research university that has partnered with NASA numerous times, is also waiting for a rocket launch this year. Their mission is to send several small satellites called CubeSats into orbit. These technological devices are so small they can fit into the palm of a hand. According to the current rocket launch schedule, they’ll be ready to launch into space by August.
Dr David Bowles, the ex-director at NASA Langley for over thirty years, said the activities around satellite development and rocket launches will soon open commercial space to everybody. The busy rocket launch schedule encourages development teams to relocate to Virginia, and Dr Bowles sees a great future for the Commonwealth thanks to that.
Private Space Stations Attract Technology Companies
Dr David Bowles has also said that the pad for rocket launches at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will attract different companies to come and set up their rocket launch schedule. These businesses need people to assemble and service the satellites, build outposts, etc, and it makes sense to move all the activities around the rocket launch schedule to one place. Together with NASA’s projects, the upcoming rocket launches will open a new era for commercial space travel.
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