An ER‑2 aircraft based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, carries a pod full of instruments for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) on Thursday, July 9, 2026. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms. Researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effect after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.

Ground crew members, from left, Bobby Henderson, Francisco Rodriguez, Geo Sablan, and Vincent Moreno prepare an ER‑2 aircraft for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms, and researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effects after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.

NASA quality assurance technician Jose Preito prepares an ER‑2 aircraft for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms, and researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effects after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.

NASA engineer technician Francisco Rodriguez gives a NASA ER-2 aircraft a liquid oxygen refill (LOX) in preparation for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms, and researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effects after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.

An ER‑2 aircraft prepares for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms, and researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effects after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.

NASA pilot Kirt Stallings prepares for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms, and researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effects after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.

Ground crew team members, from left, Sophie Abou-Rizk, Michael Greenberg, Grant Finneman, Matthew Walker McLinden, Ted Hildum, Terry Hu, Jose Prieto, and Jesse Orellana prepare an ER‑2 aircraft for the INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment (INSPYRE) on Monday, July 13, 2026. The aircraft is based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. This Earth science campaign studies wildfire‑generated thunderstorms and researchers are seeking to better understand how these storms form, how high the storms send smoke, where this smoke travels, and the effects after the smoke reaches upper layers of the atmosphere.