Chemical Release Experiments in the Mesosphere Services

The mesosphere extends above the stratosphere and is characterized by extremely low air density, scarce water vapor, and declining temperatures. It contains meteoric smoke particles, noctilucent clouds, and ionized gases where the lower boundary of the ionosphere forms. Because planes cannot fly here and satellites experience too much drag to maintain orbit, it remains one of the least sampled regions.

Scientists historically study the mesosphere using sub-orbital sounding rockets, ground-based lidar, and radar systems. Green Launch introduces sub-orbital light-gas projectile delivery, propelling specialized instruments and atmospheric sampling vehicles directly through the mesosphere. This technology provides researchers with reliable access for active chemical release experiments, wind field mapping, and direct measurement of atmospheric ionization.

Chemical release experiments deploy observable tracer vapors into the mesosphere and lower ionosphere. Ground-based optical instruments and cameras track the dispersion, luminescence, and movement of these clouds. This enables researchers to observe neutral wind dynamics, turbulence, atmospheric gravity waves, and electric fields in real-time within regions where continuous sensor monitoring is traditionally difficult.

Light-gas propulsion uses hydrogen and oxygen gas combustion to rapidly accelerate launch vehicles through a launch tube. This approach eliminates expensive traditional first-stage booster rockets, produces zero carbon emissions, and achieves the extreme velocities needed to reach mesospheric altitudes, providing a repeatable and economical platform for university, government, and scientific payloads.

Green Launch constructs projectile bodies using specialized wound fiberglass designed to withstand high compression forces during launch acceleration. This composite material is lightweight, structurally rigid, and transparent to radio frequencies, allowing sensitive diagnostic antennas, telemetry components, and chemical dispersion canisters to remain safely housed inside the vehicle during ascent.

Operational testing and launch evaluations are performed at the Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Testing facilities accommodate extensive horizontal firings and vertical trajectory trials, allowing engineers to verify vehicle weights, charge pressures, release peak pressures, acoustic reduction, and aerodynamic stability under rigorous field conditions.

Typical users include scientific research organizations, climatologists, atmospheric physicists, and aerospace and defense entities. Customers such as the National Science Foundation require direct access to the upper atmosphere and ionosphere to conduct advanced studies in radio communications, navigation modeling, surveillance technology, and global climate dynamics.

Traditional solid and kerosene-fueled rockets release soot, alumina particles, and toxic propellants directly into upper atmospheric layers. In contrast, Green Launch uses hydrogen and oxygen gas propellant whose only byproduct is water vapor. Combined with proprietary propellant capture systems, launches maintain an eco-friendly profile during experimental releases.