A rocket launch meant to crash – that’s what’s expected in the sky over Lompoc on Tuesday. And Alan Hancock college is partnering with NASA, hosting a viewing of the launch of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission.
High school students at Saint Mary's School in Medford Oregon traveled to Lompoc to see the DART mission in-person.
"Yes so we came as part of the NASA mission expo and we are presenting out research on VESTA and as part of that we are invited to come see the DART mission launch so we are here to watch that," said Saint Mary's School student, Dylan Daneman.
"I think it's a very cool opportunity. Maybe once in a lifetime because it's not very often that young people get invited to these types of things," said Saint Mary's School student, Audrey Mills.
The students are excited to see the launch from such a close vantage point.
"It's just very cool to be able to see the luanch in general and not just through a computer screen but to see it in person. It's probably going to be very memorable," said Mills.
The students are part of a research project that relates to the launch happening this evening and their data will be used on the VESTA project in the future.
"I think that it's most exciting just to be able to see a launch in person and especially to continue our research and to meet new people of course and to just see what other people are researching and the other ways that this research can be pursued," said Saint Mary's School Student, Zyrys Zacha.
The event is taking place at the college's Lompoc Valley Center on One Hancock Drive in Lompoc until midnight on Tuesday. The DART mission launch viewing event is free and open to the public.
