41.107 NT Terrier-Improved Orion was launched from Wallops Island, VA on January 29, 2013. The objective for this mission was to test two different methods for creating the lithium vapor were tested to determine which configuration is best for observing various science phenomena in space.

Two canisters in the rocket’s payload section contained solid metal lithium rods or chips embedded in a thermite cake. The thermite was ignited and produced heat to vaporize the lithium. The vapor was released in space to be detected and tracked optically. The Principal Investigator was Ms. Elizabeth West/NASA Wallops Flight Facility.

More on this launch: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/wallops/news/westpost.html