EVE Calibration Rocket Flies over WSMR Today

Today the EVE Calibration Rocket will fly above White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) near Las Cruces, NM. The launch window opens at 11:25 am MT (1:25 pm ET) and closes at 12:05 pm MT (2:05 pm ET). The EVE team is watching the Sun. The goal is to measure the quiet Sun and any significant flare will delay the launch until the effects of the flare fade. After parachuting to the ground, Rocket EVE will be re-calibrated at NIST's SURF in Maryland.

These calibration rockets are needed to track the changes in the EVE and AIA instruments that have been in orbit for over 11 years. Instruments that measure the extreme ultraviolet are extremely sensitive to contamination. Even small amounts of hydrocarbons (such as Teflon) landing on the CCDs inside the instruments can reduce the amount of light reaching the pixels. Comparing the data from the instruments in space with the data from the “clean” calibration instrument gives the correction factor we need.

Check out the LASP news release for more information.

Here's to a great launch and successful recovery!