CALIFORNIA, Md. -- Residents across Maryland may spot a bright streak in the night sky tonight as NASA prepares to launch three sounding rockets from its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The mission, called TOMEX+, is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, with a launch window between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

NASA said the experiment, short for Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment Plus, is designed to study turbulence at the edge of space in a region 53 to 65 miles above Earth where the atmosphere is thin and temperatures plunge to minus 148 degrees. The research will help scientists improve models that affect weather prediction, aviation safety and satellite operations.

If skies are clear, people from Southern Maryland to Baltimore and beyond could catch sight of the launch. Two rockets will release glowing tracer clouds to help track winds and movement in the upper atmosphere. A third rocket will carry a special laser instrument that uses sodium atoms high above Earth as a marker, allowing scientists to map turbulence in three dimensions.

NASA first studied this phenomenon in the year 2000 using a single rocket. TOMEX+ takes that earlier effort further by adding modern instruments and flying three rockets together so scientists can capture a more complete picture of how the upper atmosphere behaves.

While Wallops is not holding an official viewing event tonight, NASA will livestream the launch online. Many families are expected to gather in backyards, on beaches and along boardwalks to watch the fiery ascent.

NASA said the campaign will continue into early September, with backup dates available depending on weather and recovery conditions.

For updates and livestream information, visit: NASA Wallops Launch Schedule.

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