Black aurora mission launches from Poker Flat
February 9, 2026
A second NASA sounding rocket launched from Poker Flat Research Range at about 3:30 a.m. today in a mission to study a form of northern…
First rocket of 2026 takes flight at Poker Flat
January 30, 2026
A two-stage NASA sounding rocket shot skyward from Poker Flat Research Range at 4:20 a.m. today as part of a long-running project to learn more…
Three missions, four rockets: Poker Flat is ready for launch
January 29, 2026
The 2026 Poker Flat Research Range launch season opens late Thursday night, Jan. 29, with the first of three missions studying the aurora and the…
Three missions, four rockets: Poker Flat ready for launches
January 27, 2026
The 2026 Poker Flat Research Range launch season opens this week with the first of three missions studying the aurora and the upper atmosphere.The first…
Geophysical Institute, Alaska Aerospace to boost space opportunity
June 10, 2025
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute and Alaska Aerospace Corp. will work together under a new agreement to jointly develop and offer spaceport services…
An AWESOME success
April 2, 2025
Two NASA sounding rockets that launched March 25 from Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks ejected payloads that created a colorful display of atmospheric…
Launch of third NASA rocket completes complex aurora mission
April 1, 2025
The third and final NASA sounding rocket in a mission to better understand how the aurora affects the upper atmosphere launched at 1:33 a.m. Saturday…
UAF students play key role in the AWESOME rocket mission
March 27, 2025
Participating in a NASA sounding rocket mission in their geographic backyard is an extraordinary opportunity for student researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical…
Two NASA rockets launch from Poker Flat, third rocket expected
March 25, 2025
Two NASA sounding rockets launched from Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks early this morning in a mission aimed at learning more about how…
Poker Flat to launch three NASA rockets in single aurora experiment
March 21, 2025
Three NASA rockets are set to launch from Poker Flat Research Range in an experiment that seeks to reveal how auroral substorms affect the behavior…
First rocket campaign of 2025 concludes at Poker Flat Research Range
February 12, 2025
Two NASA rockets successfully launched from Poker Flat Research Range this month in search of answers about forms of rapid auroral behavior. The second of…
Three rockets will ignite Poker Flat’s 2025 launch season
January 16, 2025
Three NASA sounding rockets are set to launch from Poker Flat Research Range as early as Tuesday to learn more about three types of aurora…
NASA sounding rocket chief praises first solar flare campaign from Poker Flat
May 14, 2024
The head of NASA’s sounding rocket program called April’s first launches of the space agency’s Solar Flare Sounding Rocket Campaign the “perfect example” of cooperation…
NASA rockets to gather sun data in rare daytime Poker Flat launches
April 4, 2024
Two rockets are set to launch within minutes of each other from Poker Flat Research Range this month in NASA’s first campaign to study solar…
Second NASA sounding rocket launches from Poker Flat Research Range
November 9, 2023
The second NASA sounding rocket of the season headed into Earth’s upper atmosphere from Poker Flat Research Range shortly after midnight Thursday, carrying a payload…
First NASA rocket of season flies high out of Poker Flat Research Range
November 8, 2023
A two-stage NASA sounding rocket flew skyward shortly after midnight Wednesday carrying science instruments to gather data about the solar wind’s behavior. media_type=Article
Geophysical Institute, Poker Flat offer free summer tours
June 19, 2023
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute is offering free public family-friendly tours through Labor Day. Tours began on Memorial Day. Two different guided tours…
UAF secures up to $47 million for unmanned aircraft studies
September 24, 2010
The United States Navy has awarded the University of Alaska Fairbanks up to $47 million to test and evaluate payloads aboard small, unmanned aircraft. The…