What is "rockoon"

n. A rocket, powered by solid fuel, that is not light while on the ground but first carried into the upper atmosphere by a gas-filled balloon, then separated from the balloon and automatically ignited to allow it to achieve a higher altitude.

A rockoon (from rocket and balloon) is a solid fuel sounding rocket that, rather than being immediately lit while on the ground, is first carried into the upper atmosphere by a gas-filled balloon, then separated from the balloon and ignited. This allows the rocket to achieve a higher altitude, as the rocket does not have to move under power through the lower and thicker layers of the atmosphere.

The original concept was developed by Cmdr. Lee Lewis, Cmdr. G. Halvorson, S. F. Singer, and James A. Van Allen during the Aerobee rocket firing cruise of the U.S.S. Norton Sound on March 1, 1949.

A serious disadvantage is that balloons cannot be steered and consequently neither the direction the launched rocket moves in nor the region where it will fall is easily adjustable. Therefore, a large area for the fall of the rocket is required for safety reasons.

Rockoon is the forty-fourth album released by Tangerine Dream. The album was started in March 1991 and completed January 1992, making it the longest production ever in the band's history. The album was nominated in the USA for the "Best New Age Album 1992" Grammy and reached the Top Ten in Billboard New Age charts and the Top Twenty in Billboard Jazz charts.

It is the first full album of Tangerine Dream music as a father and son duo.

The album was re-released in 1999 on Tangerine Dream's own TDI label with new cover artwork by Edgar Froese.

"Big City Dwarves" was used as a promo single. Penguin Reference was also used on the promo. There were about 200 to 300 copies of this single.

Rockoon is the fourth studio album by Japanese Jazz fusion band T-Square. It was released on April 1, 1980.