Atmospheric Research
Scientists often use rockets to explore our Earth's atmosphere. Equipment such as barometers, cameras, and thermometers are carried into the atmosphere by sounding rockets, or alternatively called meteorological rockets (pictured to the right). Information is collected by the instruments and sent back to the ground through radio.
Rockets are also used as a power source for experimental research airplanes to test how the planes fly in the atmosphere to help develop spacecraft. This kind of study on the rocket-powered X-1 and X-15 showed engineers how to control vehicles flying many times as fast as the speed of sound. |