By: Sonya Carper

GHOST (Grand cHallenge MesOsphere Student rockeT) is the mission that will take several West Virginia Wesleyan College students to Andoya, Norway in the fall to launch payloads for NASA in partnership with NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (United States), Andøya Space (Norway), the RockSat-X program, and the Grand Challenge Initiative (GCI) II. 

The Space Club has engineered a Langmuir Probe, an instrument designed to measure properties of plasma, such as electron temperature and density, by analyzing electrical currents in the ionized gas. They’ve also developed a Spectrometer, a tool that identifies the composition and characteristics of materials by analyzing light emitted, absorbed, or scattered.

The rocket carrying the payloads will travel to the ionosphere, which stretches roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth’s surface. This layer is ionized by solar radiation and plays a crucial role in enabling radio communication and influencing atmospheric conditions. The ionosphere overlaps with low Earth orbit (LEO), a region where satellites, including the International Space Station, operate. LEO extends from about 100 to 1,200 miles above Earth’s surface, making it an active zone for space exploration and technology. Together, the ionosphere and LEO serve as essential layers for both natural phenomena and human-made advancements.

The goal is to gather valuable data in relation to Aurora Borealis, often called the Northern Lights, which is a stunning natural phenomenon that illuminates the night sky with vibrant displays of green, pink, purple, and red lights. This captivating spectacle occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere, primarily nitrogen and oxygen, near the polar regions. These particles are carried by the solar wind and guided by Earth’s magnetic field toward the poles, where the interactions release energy in the form of colorful light. The auroras are most visible during periods of high solar activity and are best observed in the Arctic Circle, including regions like Norway, Finland, and Alaska

“This is an exciting trip, the first international trip in our club’s history, but possibly the last of its kind,” explained Dr. Tracey Delaney, reflecting on the historic nature of the project. However, she expressed concerns about its future, saying, “We have been notified that the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium may lose valuable funding that helps pay a large portion of the expenses associated with launching the rockets.” This potential funding loss could impact the ability of future students to engage in such unique opportunities.

The students selected for this prestigious endeavor include Jacob Dawson, Sneha Sundaraneedi, Sonya Carper, Josiah Bradsher, Cole Price, and Ezekial ‘Zeke’ Hall. Accompanying the group will be Jesse Oldroyd, ensuring the team has ample support during their travels and work abroad.

This grand undertaking stands as a testament to the perseverance and ingenuity of the WVWC Space Club. With their sights set on the stars, they are demonstrating that even the most ambitious goals are within reach with hard work and determination.

Photo Credit: Barrett McCain