Poker Flat Research Range
Encyclopedia
The Poker Flat Research Range (PFRR) is a launch facility and rocket range for sounding rocket
s in the U.S. state
of Alaska
, owned and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks
(UAF) Geophysical Institute
since 1968. The world's largest land-based rocket range, it is situated on a 5132 acres (20.8 km²) site located approximately 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Fairbanks
and is operated under contract to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility
. Since its inception PFRR has been closely aligned and funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
and its predecessor, the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA). Other range users include the United States Naval Research Laboratory
(NRL), the Air Force Geophysics Lab (AFGL) and a number of Universities and research laboratories. More than 1,700 launches have been conducted at the range to study the Earth
's atmosphere and the interaction between the atmosphere and the space environment . Areas studied at PFRR include the aurora
, plasma physics, the ozone layer
, solar proton event
s, Earth's magnetic field
, and ultraviolet
radiation.
. Neil Davis asked Neal Brown to be PFRR's first supervisor and Brown directed the facility from 1971-1989. Construction of new facilities was undertaken in the 1990s with a $30 million grant provided by Congress. Refurbishment of older facilities is an ongoing project.
s, including two optimized for severe weather operations capable of handling rockets weighing up to 35000 pounds (15,875.7 kg). Launches have attained an apogee of up to 930 miles (1,496.7 km) and impact on the Arctic ice shelf over 1100 miles (1,770.3 km) downrange. Range facilities include an administrative facility, a blockhouse
, several rocket assembly buildings, a 2-story science observatory, and a payload assembly building. Three S band
antennas are used to collect telemetry
, and a C band
radar is used for tracking rocket payloads in-flight.
Poker Flat's scope of activities is ever changing with the recent addition of SRI's PFISR (Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar) phased array antenna and the recent purchase of several Insitu UAV/UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/Unmanned Aerial System).
The Alaska Ground Station (AGS) together with the Honeywell
Datalynx PF1 supports PFRR operations of many NASA
and other nation's spacecraft including Aqua
, Aura
, Terra
, and Landsat 7
with S band
and X band
services. PF1 is part of the Earth Observing System
Polar Ground Network (EPGN), along with the Alaska Ground Station (AGS). Other ground stations in the EPGN include the Svalbard
Ground Station (SGS), the Kongsberg
-Lockheed Martin
ground station (SKS), and the Svalsat ground station (SG3) in Norway
.
Sounding rocket
A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into...
s in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, owned and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks
University of Alaska Fairbanks
The University of Alaska Fairbanks, located in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, is the flagship campus of the University of Alaska System, and is abbreviated as Alaska or UAF....
(UAF) Geophysical Institute
Geophysical Institute
The Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks conducts research into space physics and aeronomy; atmospheric sciences; snow, ice, and permafrost; seismology; volcanology; and tectonics and sedimentation. It was founded in 1946 by the United States Congress...
since 1968. The world's largest land-based rocket range, it is situated on a 5132 acres (20.8 km²) site located approximately 30 miles (50 km) northeast of Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
and is operated under contract to the NASA Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility
Wallops Flight Facility , located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, is operated by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other U.S. government agencies...
. Since its inception PFRR has been closely aligned and funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Defense Threat Reduction Agency
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency is an agency within the United States Department of Defense and is the official Combat Support Agency for countering weapons of mass destruction . DTRA's main functions are threat reduction, threat control, combat support, and technology development...
and its predecessor, the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA). Other range users include the United States Naval Research Laboratory
United States Naval Research Laboratory
The United States Naval Research Laboratory is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps and conducts a program of scientific research and development. NRL opened in 1923 at the instigation of Thomas Edison...
(NRL), the Air Force Geophysics Lab (AFGL) and a number of Universities and research laboratories. More than 1,700 launches have been conducted at the range to study the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's atmosphere and the interaction between the atmosphere and the space environment . Areas studied at PFRR include the aurora
Aurora (astronomy)
An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere...
, plasma physics, the ozone layer
Ozone layer
The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone . This layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is potentially damaging to the life forms on Earth...
, solar proton event
Solar proton event
A Solar proton event occurs when protons emitted by the Sun become accelerated to very high energies either close to the Sun during a solar flare or in interplanetary space by the shocks associated with coronal mass ejections. These high energy protons cause several effects. They can penetrate the...
s, Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
, and ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
radiation.
History
The PFRR originated from University of Alaska auroral research in the 1920s. Sounding rockets were first used for this in 1946. In 1968 the UAF Geophysical Institute leased the land that became the PFRR from the state of Alaska, and the range's facilities were initially completed in 1972 with leadership and vision from Dr. T. Neil DavisT. Neil Davis
T. Neil Davis is a professor emeritus of geophysics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the author of several books. Born in Greeley, Colorado, Davis received his B.S in geophysics from University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1955, an M.S. in geophysics from California Institute of Technology in...
. Neil Davis asked Neal Brown to be PFRR's first supervisor and Brown directed the facility from 1971-1989. Construction of new facilities was undertaken in the 1990s with a $30 million grant provided by Congress. Refurbishment of older facilities is an ongoing project.
Facilities
Support facilities at Poker Flat Research Range include five launch padLaunch pad
A launch pad is the area and facilities where rockets or spacecraft lift off. A spaceport can contain one or many launch pads. A typical launch pad consists of the service and umbilical structures. The service structure provides an access platform to inspect the launch vehicle prior to launch....
s, including two optimized for severe weather operations capable of handling rockets weighing up to 35000 pounds (15,875.7 kg). Launches have attained an apogee of up to 930 miles (1,496.7 km) and impact on the Arctic ice shelf over 1100 miles (1,770.3 km) downrange. Range facilities include an administrative facility, a blockhouse
Blockhouse
In military science, a blockhouse is a small, isolated fort in the form of a single building. It serves as a defensive strong point against any enemy that does not possess siege equipment or, in modern times, artillery...
, several rocket assembly buildings, a 2-story science observatory, and a payload assembly building. Three S band
S band
The S band is defined by an IEEE standard for radio waves with frequencies that range from 2 to 4 GHz, crossing the conventional boundary between UHF and SHF at 3.0 GHz. It is part of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum...
antennas are used to collect telemetry
Telemetry
Telemetry is a technology that allows measurements to be made at a distance, usually via radio wave transmission and reception of the information. The word is derived from Greek roots: tele = remote, and metron = measure...
, and a C band
C band
The C band is a name given to certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, including wavelengths of microwaves that are used for long-distance radio telecommunications. The IEEE C-band - and its slight variations - contains frequency ranges that are used for many satellite communications...
radar is used for tracking rocket payloads in-flight.
Poker Flat's scope of activities is ever changing with the recent addition of SRI's PFISR (Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar) phased array antenna and the recent purchase of several Insitu UAV/UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/Unmanned Aerial System).
The Alaska Ground Station (AGS) together with the Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
Datalynx PF1 supports PFRR operations of many NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
and other nation's spacecraft including Aqua
Aqua (satellite)
Aqua is a multi-national NASA scientific research satellite in orbit around the Earth, studying the precipitation, evaporation, and cycling of water. It is the second major component of the Earth Observing System preceded by Terra and followed by Aura .The name "Aqua" comes from the Latin word...
, Aura
Aura (satellite)
Aura is a multi-national NASA scientific research satellite in orbit around the Earth, studying the Earth's ozone layer, air quality and climate. It is the third major component of the Earth Observing System following on Terra and Aqua...
, Terra
Terra (satellite)
Terra is a multi-national NASA scientific research satellite in a sun-synchronous orbit around the Earth. It is the flagship of the Earth Observing System...
, and Landsat 7
Landsat 7
Landsat 7, launched on April 15, 1999, is the latest satellite of the Landsat program. Landsat 7's primary goal is to refresh the global archive of satellite photos, providing up-to-date and cloud-free images. The Landsat Program is managed and operated by the USGS, and data from Landsat 7 is...
with S band
S band
The S band is defined by an IEEE standard for radio waves with frequencies that range from 2 to 4 GHz, crossing the conventional boundary between UHF and SHF at 3.0 GHz. It is part of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum...
and X band
X band
The X band is a segment of the microwave radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum. In some cases, such as in communication engineering, the frequency range of X band is rather indefinitely set at approximately 7.0 to 11.2 gigahertz . In radar engineering, the frequency range is specified...
services. PF1 is part of the Earth Observing System
Earth Observing System
The Earth Observing System is a program of NASA comprising a series of artificial satellite missions and scientific instruments in Earth orbit designed for long-term global observations of the land surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans of the Earth. The satellite component of the program was...
Polar Ground Network (EPGN), along with the Alaska Ground Station (AGS). Other ground stations in the EPGN include the Svalbard
Svalbard
Svalbard is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway. It is located north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. The group of islands range from 74° to 81° north latitude , and from 10° to 35° east longitude. Spitsbergen is the...
Ground Station (SGS), the Kongsberg
Kongsberg
is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
-Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
ground station (SKS), and the Svalsat ground station (SG3) in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Sounding rockets
- ArcasArcas (rocket)Arcas — also designated ARCAS — was the designation of an American sounding rocket, which was launched between July 31, 1959 and August 9, 1991 at least 421 times. The Arcas has a maximum flight altitude of 52 kilometers, a takeoff thrust of 1.5 kN, a takeoff weight of 34 kilograms, and a...
- AstrobeeAstrobeeAstrobee is the designation of series of American sounding rockets with 1 - 3 stages. Several versions were realized.The three-stage Astrobee 500 has a ceiling of 1000 km, a takeoff thrust of 161 kN, a takeoff weight of 900 kg, a diameter of 0.38 m and a length of 7.80 m.The three-stage Astrobee...
- Black BrantBlack Brant (rocket)The Black Brant is a Canadian-designed sounding rocket built by Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over 800 Black Brants of various versions have been launched since they were first produced in 1961, and the type remains one of the most popular sounding rockets ever built...
- MIM-23 HawkMIM-23 HawkThe Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. The missile entered service in 1960, and a program of extensive upgrades has kept it from becoming obsolete. It was...
- MGR-1 Honest JohnMGR-1 Honest JohnThe MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...
- JavelinJavelin (rocket)Javelin was the designation of an American sounding rocket. The four stage Javelin rocket had a payload of around 125 pounds , an apogee of 1100 kilometers, a liftoff thrust of 365 kilonewtons , a total mass of 3,385 kilograms , and a core diameter of 580 centimeters...
- LokiLoki (rocket)Loki, officially designated 76mm HEAA Rocket T220, was an American unguided anti-aircraft rocket based on the German Taifun. Like the Taifun, Loki never saw service in its original role, but later found widespread use as a sounding rocket...
- Nike
- RocketsondeRocketsondeA rocketsonde, a kind of sounding rocket, is a system for atmospheric observations that consists of a rocket that launches instruments that can make weather observations up to an altitude of 75,000 m. Common meteorological rockets are the Loki and Super Loki.A typical rocket is 3.7 m tall and is...
- SandhawkSandhawkThe Sandhawk was a sounding rocket developed by Sandia National Laboratories in 1966. This single-stage, sub-orbital rocket had a mass of 700 kg , a takeoff thrust of 80 kN , and could reach heights around 200 km or so. Sandia launched eight of these rockets between 1966 and 1974 as part of...
- MGM-29 SergeantMGM-29 SergeantThe MGM-29 Sergeant was an American short-range, solid fuel, surface-to-surface missile developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Activated by the US Army in 1962 to replace the MGM-5 Corporal it was deployed overseas by 1963, carrying the W52 nuclear warhead or alternatively one of high explosives...
- StrypiStrypiStrypi is the name of a US sounding rocket. The Strypi has two stages. The first stage consists of two Recruit, the second of one Castor-rocket...
- RIM-2 TerrierRIM-2 TerrierThe Convair RIM-2 Terrier was a two-stage medium-range naval surface-to-air missile , and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. Originally, the Terrier had a launch thrust of 23 kN , and weight of 1392 kg...
- TE-416 TomahawkTE-416 TomahawkThe TE-416 Tomahawk is a rocket developed by the American company Thiokol at the beginning of the 1960s for Sandia National Laboratories. Although the TE-416 Tomahawk can be launched alone, it was started predominantly as upper stage in connection with other rockets, for example with a Nike rocket...
See also
- Other Alaskan astronomical research stations: HIPAS-HIgh Power Auroral Stimulation, HAARP-High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program
Related works
- 2006. Rockets Over Alaska: The Genesis of Poker Flat. By Neil Davis. Alaska-Yukon Press.
- 1980. Poker Flat Research Range: Range Users' Handbook. By Merritt Helfferich, Neal Boyd Brown, and Peggy Dace. Geophysical Institute: University of Alaska Fairbanks.
External links
- Poker Flat Research Range official website
- Poker Flat at Encyclopedia Astronautica.
- Aurora rocket article from USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
. - Svalsat official website
- Kongsberg Satellite Services AS official website