Rockets vs Lightning
After United Launch Alliance’s successful launch of their Vulcan Centaur rocket on the 8 th of January, curious eyes may wonder why the rocket is surrounded by four large towers. In fact, if you are a regular observer of rocket launches, you may notice similar towers surrounding rockets at launch pads around the world. Lift-off of the Vulcan Centaur on January 8, 2024, by United Launch Alliance (ULA). Photo credit: NASASpaceflight Microwave-Safe Rockets Even more curious eyes may notice that the towers aren’t just free-standing but are connected, tip-to-tip, by cables which then also sprawl away from the tips and towards the ground – forming a metal cage that surrounds the rocket. This arrangement of conductive material, known as a Faraday Cage, is the reason why we can safely microwave…