Space.com Why Does NASA Use Sounding Rockets? | Video 16 May 2017 fborgosano Leave a comment Share: The smaller and less expensive rockets can be designed in 6 months and a mission can be accomplished in 1-3 years. The trade-off (from launching on a bigger rocket) is you “only get10 minutes of suborbital flight.” from Space.com bit.ly/2qt9Hdd Share: