Status: Active. First Launch: 2012-09-22. Last Launch: 2012-09-22. Number: 2 .
First test of a new NASA high performance sounding rocket. The Talos-Terrier-Oriole carried a dummy Nihka fourth stage as part of its 775 kg payload. The all-up Oriole 12 (Talos-Terrier-Oriole-Nihka) rocket was originally planned to be flown to 777 km above Poker Flat to study the aurora as flight NASA 49.001 in February 2013.