I

I'

e,
ORI
61)

v)
AN EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATION OF THE
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

0-11/ 1267

w
-U
0

i=
Y
9
Y
( 3 0 '5 I WALLOPS ISLANO, VlRGlNlA
Research a t Wallops Station, established in 1945
on the Atlantic Coast of Virginia, is directed pri-
marily toward gathering information about earth's
atmosphere and its near-space environment. In-
formation obtained as a result of Wallops research
is freely distributed to the world scientific com-
munity. The station is located about 40 miles south-
east of Salisbury, Maryland.
Since 1945, Wallops station has launched more
than 6,000 research vehicles. Consisting of from
one t o seven rocket stages, these vehicles are used
to gather scientific information on the flight charac-
teristics of airplanes, launch vehicles and space-
craft and to increase our knowledge of the upper
atmosphere and space environment. Some 300
experiments are sent aloft each year. The launch

Aerial view of NASA's Wallops Island, Virginia, rocket launch site. A great many of this nation's international cooperative
rocket launchings are conducted here.
 vehicles used vary in size and power from the small
Arcas and Hasp meteorological rockets to the four-
stage Scout with orbital capability.
In addition t o supporting rocket-propelled ex-
periments, Wallops uses its facilities for numerous
other research projects, such as space component
tests utilizing helicopter or aircraft drops; slow
speed landing techniques for jet aircraft; laser and
radar tracking of aircraft and satellites.
Wallops’ mission includes management of several
NASA-sponsored projects, such as University Ex-
- plorer satellites, the Experimental Inter-American
Meteorological Rocket Network (EXAMETNET), a
Bio-Space Technology Training Program, and imple-
mentation of remote site launching and tracking
facilities - for example, a Mobile Range Facility
and an Arctic launch site at Point Barrow, Alaska.
U craft program, before the astronauts were launched flown on a Scout vehicle to test heat shield material
N Most of the research and development work
I
performed at Wallops Station fails in the following
categories:
AERONAUTICAL RESEARCH
A considerable number of the experiments are
designed to obtain scientific information on the
flight characteristics of vehicles and spacecraft and
aerodynamic data related t o aerospace flight. For
example, experiments in the reentry physics pro-
AScout rocket vehicle on its launching
stand is ready for firing.
Wallops Station, Virginia, overall site
map indicating highway approaches t o
this NASA Atlantic coast rocket station
gram are flown on the Scout vehicle and other ful launching of the Echo I Satellite from Cape
multistage configurations. Data are being obtained Kennedy on August 12, 1960, and Echo I I on
for design, construction, and instrumentation of January 25, 1964.
manned spacecraft of the Apollo type t o be used in In October 1962 an experiment was conducted
lunar and interplanetary missions, and which will to check out some of the instruments programmed
reenter the atmosphere at much greater speeds for the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO)
than earth-orbiting vehicles. Satellite, scheduled for later launch.
In 1961 experiments were conducted at Wallops
COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT t o test equipment to be flown in the Topside
Many of the experiments launched at Wallops fall Sounder Satellites of the United States and Canada.
in the category of basic testing and development These satellites measure the characteristics of the
of components, systems, subsystems, and instru- upper ionosphere by sending pulsed radio signals
mentation t o be flown in later types of vehicles and from above (topside sounding), as compared with
spacecraft. For example, a number of small-scale the previous method of ionospheric sounding by
and full-scale Project Mercury capsules were sci- sending from ground stations radio signals which
entifically investigated and/or tested at Wallops in are reiiected back from the iower ionosphere.
1959-1961 in support of NASA’s manned space On August 18, 1964, a reentry experiment was
from Cape Kennedy. being considered for use on the Apollo spacecraft.
In 1959 and 1960, a series of 100-feet diameter On June 7, 1966, an experiment was conducted
inflatable spheres made of thin mylar plastic (about to study the behavior of liquids under zero gravity
half the thickness of the cellophane on a package conditions. Designated the Weightless Analysis
of cigarettes) and coated with aluminum were Sounding Probe (WASP), the 1,500-pound payload
launched from Wallops Island in suborbital flights consisted of a scale model of a liquid hydrogen fuel
to test the feasibility and performance of inflatable tank. Two small TV cameras, extended on 5-foot
spheres as passive communications satellites. booms, televised pictures of the behavior of the
These flights were in preparation for the success- liquid (ethyl alcohol) under zero-g. Data from this
experiment are used in launch vehicle development
programs of Centaur and Saturn which have liquid
hydrogen upper stages designed t o coast in orbit
and then restart their engines.
SOUNDING ROCKETS
Much of the Wallops research effort is in support
of the national sounding rocket program: Sounding
rockets fly in nearly vertical trajectories, carrying
WALLOPS STATION packages of scientific instruments to heights of
from 4 0 t o several hundred or even thousands of
miles above the earth’s surface. Their effective life-
time is usually only a few minutes, until they drop
back to earth. All of the scientific data which the
vehicle and its payload will make available must be
collected in this brief period.
Sounding rockets are used primarily to fill the
gap for obtaining data between the balloon level
(about 20 miles altitude maximum) and the satellite
level.
Wallops Station also renders assistance in
meteorological and space research to other Govern-
ment agencies, including the Atomic Energy Com-
mission, the Department of Commerce Environ-
mental Science Services Administration, and the
Department of Defense; to research groups in indus-
 Illustrated is one of Wallops Station's
several telemetry antennas used to
receive signals from NASA experiments
in space.

try and colleges and universities, and to scientific data acquisition functions for experiments launched
groups and Government space agencies in other elsewhere. These include the weather satellites, the
countries. Echo communications satellites, the Beacon Ex-
In addition, Wallops plays a major role in NASA's plorer satellites, the Atlas-Centaur and Saturn tests,
program of international cooperation in space re- and others.
search. Some 50 countries have sent representa- Wallops Island is separated from mainland Vir-
tives to Wallops Station over the past few years to ginia, by two miles of marsh and inland waterway.
observe its operations or seek assistance in estab- If is connected t o the mainland by a causeway
lishing a sounding rocket launch facility of their and bridge. The island, approximately six miles
own. Several of these countries haGe conducted long and one-half mile in width at its widest point,
their experiments at Wallops for launching. Others takes its name from John Wallop, a 17th century
have sent technical personnel here for training in surveyor. The launch sites, assembly shops, block-
methods and technique3 of, launching sounding houses, dynamic balancing facilities, some rocket
rocket and satellite payloads. Wallops, in turn, has storage buildings, and related facilities, are located
provided technical- assistance t o countries in the on the island. Wallops Mainland Station Base occu-
selection and construction of their own launch pies a 2,200-acre site about six miles northwest
sites and in the launching of their first experi- of Wallops Island. Located there are Administrative
ments. offices, technical service support shops, a rocket
inspection and storage area, Range Control Center,
SMALL SCIENTIFIC SATELLITES Main telemetry station and a weather satellite
Wallops also has the capability for launching tracking station owned and operated by ESSA
small scientific satellites, using the four-stage (Environmental Science Services Administration).
solid-fueled Scout launch vehicle. Eleven satellites
have been placed in orbit (mid-1967), including
several in the Explorer series, the United Kingdom's
Ariel I I , and the Italian San Marco I. DIRECTOR: MR. ROBERT L. KRIEGER
TRACKING AND DATA ACQUISITION Wallops Station
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
In addition to tracking experiments launched at Wallops Island, Virginia 23337
Wallops, the station also is engaged in tracking and

NASA FACTS I S AN EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATION OF NASA's OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DIVISION.
A MAILING LIST I S MAINTAINED' FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION TO TEACHERS: TO REQUEST LISTING FOR NASA FACTS WRITE
TO PU B LICAT10 N s D IST R i B UT i 0N , FAD-1, iiAT10 NA L AERO NAUTlC S AN 3 SPACE A C M I N ! STRAT! 0 N, W.ASH INGTO N. F.C. 20546

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1961) 0-294-711