Sounding rockets, sometimes called research rockets, are instrument-carrying rocket designed to take
measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight , in the high atmosphere,
in near space and/or in micro-gravity conditions. They appeared in the mid-20th century and proved to
be an extremely useful science tool in all fields of physics and even beyond.
They also allow to introduce young scientists to space sciences by undertaking a full-scale pedagogi-
cal science project with a relatively moderate cost.
The rockets are used to carry instruments from 50 to 2000 kilometers above the surface of the Earth,
the altitude generally between weather balloons and satellites (the maximum altitude for balloons is
about 40km and the minimum for satellites is approximately 120km).
Sounding rockets are advantageous for some research due to their low cost, short lead time (sometimes
less than six months) and their ability to conduct research in areas equipment that will be used
in more expensive and risky orbital spaceflight missions. The smaller size of a sounding rocket also
makes launching from temporary sites possible allowing for field studies at remote locations,
even in the middle of the ocean, if fired from a ship.
They were constructed first in the USA, in 1947 and in the mid-1950's in Europe, based on the German
V2 and were used to study the upper atmosphere . Until the mid-1950's all rocket development
was predominantly used for military purposes. This changed occured in the period from July 1957 to
end of 1958 designated the International Geophysical Year (IGY), when rockets started to be used
for civilian purposes.
At the global and European level, the 1960s and early 1970s can be considered the period of the
greatest sounding-rocket activity worldwide, although the intensity of activity varied widely across
the individual sponsoring countries/agencies.
After this period the number of launchings decreased, specially in Europe and in the USA. The
start-up of new application satellite programmes and launch vehicles, put the sounding rocket
programs in a second plane.
Nowadays, it appears that there is a tendency to revigorate this program, mainly in Asia, where
the space activities are showing a great improvement in the last years.