Sounding rockets are special rockets that carry scientific equipment and instruments up into space to help scientists learn about the universe and space. Sounding rockets are much smaller and simpler than a normal rocket, and they don't go into orbit like a big rocket like the ones used to go to the Moon. Instead, they fly up really fast, reach a peak height, and then come back down to Earth. The special instruments on the rockets measure things like temperature, pressure, and even particles in space that can help scientists learn more about our universe!