A sounding rocket was launched to space on June 21 from Spaceport America in New Mexico containing student science experiments as well as cremated human remains.
The UP Aerospace SpaceLoft XL rocket was launched 10 a.m. EDT which reached an altitude of 73.9 miles before it went back to Earth. The rocket landed 15 minutes after the launch at the U.S Army’s White Sands Missile Range.
The experiments aboard the rocket were from over 60 middle and high school students placed in two packages. 23 students from Cobre High School sent a container with gels and liquids inside. Six of them were in the Spaceport to witness the flight. Other experiments sent include yeast and algae. The students brought the containers to see the possible effects of spaceflight on their experiments. The students hoped that NASA develops these materials to make them useful outer space.
Another experiment aboard was a tracking device called ADS-B designed to measure the industrial pollution in zero gravity. This device will be installed in all U.S aircraft beginning 2020. Another experiment related to flight aims to record the acceleration and identify flight parameters.
Then comes the most interesting experiment aboard the rocket—the cremated remains of 36 people. Some of them were quite popular such as 1967 Miss Argentina Maria Sabaliauskas and former Hatch. NM mayor Judd Nordyke. This was sponsored by Houston company Celestis.
Other commercial items included in the flight were poker chips and a fabric.
The UP Aerospace SpaceLoft XL rocket was a successful experiment as it was able to achieve a speed five times faster than the speed of sound. NASA approved this flight as part of their Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program which provides a unique academic experience for students to successfully propose, design, fly, and assess a reduced gravity experiment they have.
