With the launch of a Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket, NASA is going to test different new suborbital rocket technologies. The launch will take place on Saturday, June 28, between 4 and 5 am from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Virginia's Eastern Shore.

If weather poses problem then the backup dates are from June 29 through July 2. The technologies to be tested include a deployment system used for forming vapor clouds. The system helps tracking winds in space meant for the studies of the ionosphere.

Cuebsats, a miniature deployment actuator for small spacecraft, will be tested. Improvements in telemetry and flight recorders will be tested used to increase the rate of data collected and transferred during flight.

Clouds to be produced during testing may be seen by mid-Atlantic residents, says the Virginian-Pilot. Officials explained that the sub-payload deployment method to be tested uses small rocket motors. These motors are akin to the ones being used in model rockets to take out the sub-payloads from the main payload.

In the test, two sub-payloads from the sounding rocket will be deployed having mixtures of mainly barium. Small amount of natural earth metals lithium and strontium will be also present in the two sub-payloads.

When mixture will be combined and burnt rapidly, it will produce enough heat. The mixture would vaporize to form clouds that will assist in measuring the wind in transition region between the Earth's atmosphere and space.

Vapors will release after vehicle lift-off between 68 and 86 miles above earth. Byproducts released from the burning of these metals would not cause environmental problem.