<p> Christopher D. Hall Aerospace and Ocean Engineering</p><p>VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0203 USA AND STATE UNIVERSITY (540) 231-2314 Fax: (540) 231-9632 E-mail: [email protected] October 10, 2003</p><p>Philip Eberspeaker Chief, Sounding Rockets Program Office Wallops Flight Facility Building E-106 Wallops Island, VA 23337</p><p>Dear Mr. Eberspeaker:</p><p>In Fall 2002, the Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) began a multi-year design project intended to establish a long- term atmospheric science program using suborbital rockets. Our vision is that the Virginia Tech Sounding Rocket Program will be a continuing project wherein engineering students design, build, and launch sounding rocket payloads to conduct atmospheric and space physics science missions. The NASA Sounding Rocket Program will underwrite the initial launches, and science research funding from Naval Research Laboratory and NASA Langley Research Center will support subsequent launches.</p><p>Virginia Tech’s objectives include incorporation of advanced payload design, manufacture, test, and integration techniques into our undergraduate and graduate programs, interaction with industry for mentoring of students, and interaction with government labs and other universities for atmospheric and space science applications. As part of this effort we have already formed partnerships with Hampton University, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the University of Colorado. </p><p>The purpose of this letter is to request a Mission Initiation Conference (MIC) on Friday November 7, 2003, to be held at the Wallops Flight Facility. Several Virginia Tech students and I will travel to Wallops on November 6, and will be available for the presentation and any follow-on discussions throughout November 7.</p><p>I greatly appreciate the support and advise I have received from Ms. Jan Jackson, and I look forward to continued cooperation with WFF and NSROC personnel on this exciting project. </p><p>Sincerely,</p><p>Christopher D. Hall Professor</p><p>Cc: Dr. John H. Campbell Director, Suborbital and Special Orbital Projects Wallops Flight Facility Building F6 Wallops Island, VA 23337</p><p>A Land-Grant University - The Commonwealth Is Our Campus An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution</p>