China has successfully launched the Kunpeng-1B sounding rocket from a launch pad in Danzhou City in the southern Chinese Hainan Province. The research rocket, which is due to take measurements in the upper atmosphere and help with high-speed flight and space tourism research, was launched by China’s National Space Science Center (NSSC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The rocket reached a maximum height of 316 kilometers (196 miles), with the total flight time coming to 10 minutes.

Sounding rockets are low-cost launch vehicles designed to carry scientific instruments that take measurements during the rocket’s sub-orbital flight. China first launched a Kunpeng-1 rocket in April 2013. 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.

This sounding rocket is expected to fulfil its mission of taking measurements in the upper atmosphere that will help with research of rocket sounding, high-speed flight and space tourism. The rocket’s falling ball experiment detection for further study of low latitudes in the ionosphere and in the upper atmosphere has important scientific significance. Sounding rockets are advantageous for the research because of their low cost, short lead time and their ability to conduct research in areas inaccessible to either balloons or satellites.