Editing Sounding rocket (section)

== Advantages ==
Sounding rockets are advantageous for some research because of their low cost (often using military surplus rocket motors<ref name="what" />),<ref name=overview/> relatively short [[lead time]] (sometimes less than six months)<ref name=what/> and their ability to conduct research in areas inaccessible to either balloons or satellites. They are also used as test beds for equipment that will be used in more expensive and risky [[orbital spaceflight]] missions.<ref name=overview/> The smaller size of a sounding rocket also makes launching from temporary sites possible, allowing [[Field research|field studies]] at remote locations, and even in the middle of the ocean, if fired from a ship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pha.jhu.edu/groups/rocket/general.html|title=General Description of Sounding Rockets|work=Johns Hopkins University Sounding Rocket Program|access-date=10 October 2006}}</ref>

Sounding rockets have been used for the examination of atmospheric nuclear tests by revealing the passage of the shock wave through the atmosphere.<ref name="ropetrick">{{cite web |date=29 September 2024 |title=Rope Trick effect |url=https://nnss.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/DOENV_1136-1.pdf |access-date=29 September 2024 |publisher=Wikipedia}}</ref> 
<ref name="rapatronic">{{cite web |date=29 September 2024 |title=Rope Trick effect |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope_trick_effect |access-date=29 September 2024 |work=Rapatronic Photography |publisher=Navada National Security Site}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=February 2025}} In more recent times, sounding rockets have been used for other nuclear weapons research.<ref name="hotshot">{{cite web |date=29 September 2024 |title=Sandia delivers first DOE sounding rocket program since 1990s |url=https://newsreleases.sandia.gov/sounding_rocket/ |access-date=29 September 2024 |work=Rapatronic Photography |publisher=Sandia National Labrtories}}</ref>