NASA Wallops Backup Window Opens for TOMEX+ Sounding Rocket Mission

Wallops Island, VA, August 26, 2025 - NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility began its backup launch window tonight for the Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment Plus (TOMEX+) sounding rocket mission after the first attempt was postponed yesterday. The facility will conduct nightly launch opportunities from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. ET now through September 3 as part of its contingency schedule.

TOMEX+ is comprised of three sounding rockets-two Terrier-Improved Orion vehicles and a Black Brant IX-designed to study turbulent mixing in the upper atmosphere. The mission’s primary objective is to improve understanding of oxygen mixing processes that affect spacecraft reentry dynamics and upper-atmosphere chemistry.

Following weather constraints that scrubbed August 25’s initial countdown, range operations declared tonight a backup day, with live coverage available via the Wallops Facebook and X pages, and a webcast beginning five minutes prior to each launch attempt. The Wallops Island Visitor Center remains open for its regular hours but will not host public viewing for these nighttime events.

Should conditions align, officials aim to lift off TOMEX+ rockets between 10 p.m. ET and 3 a.m. ET. Range managers caution spectators that launch dates during backup windows are inherently weather-dependent and may shift further if safety criteria are not met.

NASA Wallops Launch Schedule - NASA.