A couple blames a faulty gun safe for the death of their 12-year-old son. Now they're trying to make sure the tragedy they're going through doesn't happen to anyone else.

Family claims gun safe was defective in seeking justice for 12-year-old son who shot himself

Carson Preston

The annual WRAL Tower Lighting is scheduled for Nov. 29, 2023. Tune in to WRAL-TV at 7 p.m. to for a live, half-hour special of music and holiday cheer as we count down to when towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount get their holiday glow.

WRAL to light towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount on Wednesday at 7p

WRAL-TV held its 64th annual tower lighting on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022.

All assets associated with the tag: rocket

Rocket Coverage

One of our WRAL viewers sent us a picture from Morehead City of a rocket heading to the International Space Station. Other viewers also sent us pictures of the rocket's path across the sky.

CALIFORNIA'S MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE AND CROSS STATE LINES INTO NEVADA ON SUNDAY. NOW, WHAT DID YOU GET TO SEE THIS REALLY COOL THING UPRIGHT LIKE STREAKING ACROSS THE SKY LAST NIGHT. ONE OF OUR WRAL VIEWERS SENT THIS PICTURE FROM MOREHEAD CITY OF A ROCKET HEADING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. OTHER VIEWERS ALSO SENT US PICTURES OF THE ROCKETS PATHE ACROSS THE SKY. IT LAUNCHED JUST AFTER 8.30, LAST NIGHT FROM THE STERN, VIRGINIA. AND CHECK THIS OUT. THIS IS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FLYING OVER THE WRAL TOWER LAST NIGHT. METEOROLOGIST MIKE MAZE WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE THIS AMAZING VIDEO FROM OUTSIDE OUR STATION. SO SKIES WERE CLEAR, AT LEAST FOR THAT. BUT I KNOW IN OTHER

WRAL viewers spot rocket flying across Wednesday night sky heading to ISS

NASA Ambassador Tony Rice talks about even though the Super Heavy rocket booster exploded in space, it's still a win for Space-X.

ROLLING INTO HIS YARD. THOSE STORIES AND MORE IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES, CHRIS NEVER WILL SEE IN JUST A BIT. >> SO WE TOLD YOU ABOUT SPACE-X'S STARSHIP EXPLOSION AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR. AND EVEN THOUGH THE SHIP FAILED TO MAKE IT BEYOND AN ALTITUDE OF 23 MILES, WELL, THERE WAS STILL SOMETHING GAIN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. SO LET'S BRING IN NASA AMBASSADOR TONY RICE. TONY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. SO THIS TEST FLIGHT WAS MOUNTED ATOP THE COMPANY'S NEW SUPER HEAVY ROCKET BOOSTER. IT'S SAID TO BE THE MOST POWERFUL IN THE WORLD. SO WHAT MAKES THIS TEST RUN SO DIFFERENT FROM THE REST. >> WELL, FOR ONE THING, IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT VEHICLE THAT LAUNCH VEHICLE AND REALLY BEEN TOUCHED IN THAT CONFIGURATION AND MAYBE USE A SPECTACULAR ENGINES BEFORE, BUT THEY NEVER USE THEM ALL AT ONCE. SO THERE'S 35 ENGINES ON THE BUSINESS END OF THAT ROCKET AND NEVER FIRED ALL AT ONCE. AND PART OF THE DESIGN THERE IS THAT SOME OF THOSE ENGINES CAN FAIL. SO THEY'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD TEST TODAY ABOUT BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE ENGINES TO FAIL THAT CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT WE SAW TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT IN THE SPACE X IS GOING TO THAT DATA AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT TESTS LIKE THIS IS THE DATA IS IS GAINING THAT EXPERIENCE AND THE REAL WORLD NOT JUST LAUNCHING IT IN THE COMPUTER BUT WATCHING IT ON THE REAL LAUNCH PAD IS WHAT GIVES THE CONFIDENCE TO EVENTUALLY PUT PEOPLE ON BOARD THIS ONE DAY. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD FAILURE FAILURE AND THANK ALL KNOW IT DIDN'T HAVE, BUT IT WASN'T GREAT. KNOW, THOUGH THERE'S STILL SOMETHING TO LEARN THERE. >> AND THIS MISSION WAS STILL A SUCCESS DUE TO THE GOAL THAT WAS ATTEMPTED TO BE REACHED. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS STILL A WINDOW WITH DATA AND EVEN BEYOND THAT PART? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, MY SAID TODAY THAT IF THEY DIDN'T DESTROY THE LAUNCH PAD, THEY WERE CONSIDERED SOME SUCCESS. AND THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME AND WATCH THIS VEHICLE. SO CERTAINLY A SUCCESS. AND IN THAT REGARD. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, GETTING OFF OF THE LAUNCH PAD AND GETTING THE DEAD, THE INFORMATION COMING BACK FOR 4 MONTHS OF THOSE ENGINES. YOU KNOW, HOW DID IT THE PLAN? TRAJECTORY ALL THAT KIND OF INFORMATION. SO INFORMATION THEY HAD BEFORE. SO WAS A COMPLETE SUCCESS. OBVIOUSLY NOT AS WE SAW PIECES OF THAT RAIN DOWN IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR. BUT IS IT A FAILURE? I DON'T THINK YOU CAN CALL ANY WATCH LIKE THAT DOESN'T GET OFF THE PASS AND WHAT IT DOESN'T GET OFF THE PAD. BUT WE KNOW THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE A FAILURE. BUT BEYOND THAT, IT WE'VE GOT THAT INFORMATION THAT'S COMING BACK. SO THAT IS CERTAINLY THE SUCCESS. OF COURSE, THIS IS KIND OF PAVING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE ARTEMIS MISSIONS RETURNING TO THE MOON AND THIS WILL HELP USHER LARGER PAYLOADS EQUIPMENT. >> AS WE GO RETURN TO THE MOON THERE, NASA AMBASSADOR TONY

SpaceX's Starship rocket explodes midair but still a win for NASA 

Super Heavy rocket booster

For the first time in history, a rocket made almost entirely of 3D-printed parts was poised to blast off Wednesday afternoon on its debut launch. 

For those just joining us, we are at T minus 49 minutes. As a reminder, we set back the clock to allow us more time for propellant conditioning. In the meantime, why don't we talk about stage two M D C? Great idea. One of the approaches we take here at Relativity is to be focused on having a lot of hardware that we can test in order to reduce our risk getting into flight. One attempt that we tried to do that was um paved out through successful testing was stage two hot fire testing. This is where we took stage to, to Nasa Stennis and we integrated the AON vacuum engine with a stub nozzle for this test. We, for this test, we filled the tanks with our cryogenic propellant and this is also where we were able to fire the engine and see interactions between the engine as well as the stage. What's really important about this type of testing is that it allows us to reduce risk. It allows us to test our propellant estimation algorithms. It also allows us to test how we pressurize our tanks. We got so much learning from these tests. And why don't we take a look at that journey to stage two hot fire testing? My name is Zak Reuben on the second stage. Ari uh we're here, we have the flight engine on the flight stage and we are going to do a full mission simulation starting with terminal count through stage one burn and stage two burn. Obviously, stage two burn is going to be the main event and if it all goes well, we'll accept it for flight 54 two. This was the first attempt at our actual admission duty for the flight vehicle first attempt. We went full duration on the first try. It was really cool to see all the teams finally come together, avionics, flight software, ground software prop fluids, stage and ground systems really cool to be a part of As we continue to wait. Can we get a brief update on the mission going on a day? Yes. So we are a little bit less than about 50 minutes until launch. We are still holding not holding sorry. We took it back to be able to condition our propellant. So we're still doing that at the moment, but the range is green and the weather is looking great. We are still moving forward team as we continue to wait. We just saw a video about stage two mission duty cycle testing. We reached that full mission duty cycle duration for stage two um similar to stage two for stage when we also completed stage hot fire testing. However, that was here at launch complex 16 instead of at nasa's Stennis, we actually utilized our launch pad and adapted it to also have the capability to do stage one hot fire testing. Let's take a look at this video. Hello, I'm Pat Swatek on the CAPE operations and launch site director for Relativity here at launch complex 16 Clay Walker, the director of test operations. The objective for the test campaign for stage one was to ensure that what we designed and built it was going to be functional as intended. A spin start is the least risky way to start the system and validate the timing for actual full combustion specific points. We're looking to see in the spin start campaign was to make sure that we had the timing sequences correct. It's pretty similar to any industry standard that you would expect. Very thorough and very impressive. We chose to do our stage one hot fire campaign at the actual launch site. What we're hoping to look for is that the system responds appropriately. The engines feed the stage pressurization systems and then the pressurization systems feed the propellant feed systems for the engine. They all have to be able to rely on each other and that's what we're looking for. It's all about testing the fully integrated system, all nine engines on stage one together to validate the individual stage is ready to go into the full blown campaign for static firing, which ultimately what we look for and acceptance testing is do we have enough data to confidently say that we're going to be able to get our flight objects? We got the system help verification that we're looking for. It's been almost three years working on this program and to actually see the completed hardware standing on the pad. It's very exciting. I'm very proud of the entire relativity team. Quite frankly, it takes everyone across the company to be successful. And we had a bunch of folks across the company from engineers, technicians and support services across to help us out and make sure that we were successful. If you're just joining us, we are just under T -33 minutes. We are progressing well towards our launch time of 1400 eastern. If you missed the delay, the hour push was due to propellant conditioning. We wanted to get more time to continue that operation and we're currently doing a great job. Everything is still green and go for that launch time. That is great to hear. I am so stoked to keep moving forward as we continue to wait, maybe let's take a moment to recognize the technicians that helped us build the rocket that you see on the pad today. We wouldn't be where we are today without all of their hard work and effort to build this rocket. Let's take a look at this video, something that makes relativity and all of its technicians unique is that we all come from very different backgrounds. I was a freelance three D animator. I also was working on motorcycles. I was working on guitar parts, so lots of hands on actual manufacturing and fabrication. So this was really like a whirlwind of all the things that interest me prior to joining Relativity. I was a teacher and a football coach and I made sure that our kids were preparing for college and doing study halls and they turned the tables on me. I had the passion to do it. It was something I wanted to do something I wanted to make that career change and get into, I was previously in the Navy for five years, worked on helicopters, uh built engines and rotary. And then that led me into the aerospace world and there I built other rocket engines and, and pretty cool stuff. And that eventually led me here, which was very relatable to what I've done in the past. And it's pretty cool being part of a company in the earlier stages. So I think my career really first started when I went to school at Cal Poly slo, I went into my first manufacturing class, machining 101 and the T teacher in that class saw that I was really interested in using my hands to make things. And I really knew that that was my passion because I dived in deep with it. At first, my favorite part was robots, lasers and you know, computer programs. So now I can say it's the people I love the people here, everyone, all the new hires, all the people that I met coming in, everyone is genuinely excited to be here. One of the great things about here is attention to detail. We have to be meticulous about the things that we do because you know, these little measurements are gonna carry on to affect other things that carry on effect something else. The importance of it is never lost on me. And that's exciting to me as a technician and the experience that I've gotten throughout the years, I'm able to bring it here to Relativity and working with the other engineers and the other technicians. We like to collaborate and bring those ideas together. And it's exciting to know that our input is worthy here and so it can go far further. So it's pretty exciting. I think the coolest part of my job is that right now, I'm getting to help design the machine shop for our next headquarters. And so that's not just copying the machine shop that we have now. That's thinking 5, 10 years into the future and thinking what are we gonna need and how can we improve what we have now and how can we really spend the time planning this out? And so I have direct control over what that's going to be like. And I think that's amazing. As you can see, we have placed another hold on the T clock at T -24 minutes. We do need additional time for propellant conditioning. We're going to stand by for additional updates and I'll send that to you as soon as they have them. Hold on. If you're just joining us, we are now back at T minus 38 minutes. We did set back the clock and coordinated with a range for a new T zero time of 14 40 Eastern. That is 2 40 PM Eastern. We did add this time to allow us to continue our propellant conditioning. We'll continue to provide you updates as we get them. Mhm. Mhm.

Watch live: 3-2-1 launch ! 🚀 First ever 3D-printed rocket scheduled to launch at 2 p.m. 

Watch live: 3-2-1 launch!🚀First ever 3D printed rocket scheduled to launch at 2 p.m. 

SpaceX launches 46 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral, Florida into low-Earth orbit.

Three two one engines, full power lift off Starlink forage vehicles, which are not, and when the chamber pressure is nominal, Falcon nine has successfully lifted off from space launch complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Carrying our stack of 46 starling satellites to low earth orbit.

SpaceX launches dozens of satellites into orbit

SpaceX launch

AND HOW YOU CAN BETTER MANAGE THE COST OF TREATMENT. >>> DEBRIS FROM A CHINESE ROCKET IS EXPECTED TO FALL BACK TO THE EARTH THIS WEEKEND AND NO ONE QUITE KNOWS WHERE IT IS GOING TO LAND. THE NINE-STORY TALL 20-TON ROCKET WAS LAUNCHED THIS MORNING, HURDLING AROUND THE EARTH AT 18,000 MILES AN HOUR. WOW, THAT'S FAST. THIS PATH IS TAKING IT AS FAR SOUTH AS AUSTRALIA, AND AS FAR NORTH AS NEW YORK. AND IT COULD HIT ANYWHERE. >> IT IS REALLY HARD TO PREDICT WHEN IT IS GOING TO COME IN AND WHERE IT IS GOING TO BE. TEMPERATURE COULD CHANGE OR SOLAR WIND CAN CHANGE. AS ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE. >>> THIS PART SHOULD MAKE US FEEL A IT WILL BETTER. THE DEGREE IS LIKELY TO FALL ON WATER BECAUSE IT COVERS 70% OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE. THEY DO NOT HAVE A PLAN TO SHOT THE ROCKET DOWN AND HOPE IT WILL NOT LAND IN A PLACE WHERE IT WILL HARM ANYONE. THE LATEST PREDICTION IS BETWEEN SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING BUT IT IS

Chinese rocket spiraling down to Earth, but nobody knows where it will hit

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket core stage is being transported by barge from Louisiana, across the Gulf of Mexico around Florida to the Kennedy Space Center this week.

NASA rocket making slow sea voyage before launch later this year

NASA's Pegasus barge transports rockets NASA sites in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and ultimately to Florida for launch

Two NASA astronauts and two international crew members are on-board the spacecraft bound for the international space station.

Hey there! What a beautiful lift off early this morning. Mission managers say everything when exactly as planned. The crew now on their way to the international space Station Two one yeah. Yes and lift off got endeavor, tearing away from Pant 39 Endeavour launches once again the fiery power of the Falcon nine rockets, stunning as it cuts through the early morning darkness Falcon nine now traveling it More than 1500 mph, the orange globe lighting a path to the international space station and beyond. I think that's a best thing about you know, human spaceflight is that It's one of those things that makes people excited about the future. The trip to the iss is expected to take about 24 hours and when they docked this international crew will get straight to work. Every single activity, every single experiment, every single operation leads to the Artemus and gateway program. Artemus is Nasa's plan to return to the moon in the next three years and eventually establish a lunar base camp and an orbiting lunar outpost that will be a gateway for deep space travel. It's a very, very, very exciting time for human exploration right now, and we're in the sunlight over the atlantic ocean with the Dragon spacecraft all in all a great day. The astronauts scheduled to spend six months on the international space station, jay Gray, NBC news Kennedy's face center.

SpaceX launch a success after weather delay

SpaceX launch a success

WRAL viewers captured the SpaceX rocket flying to the International Space Station on Friday morning around sunrise. 

Viewer pics: SpaceX rocket flies over North Carolina

Space X Launch

The launch, which was visible over the Raleigh skyline as the sun rose on Friday morning.

SpaceX rocket flies over Raleigh skyline

SpaceX rocket launch seen over Raleigh

NASA plans an additional up to 8 minute long test of the 4 rocket engines powering the Space Launch System from the Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

How to watch NASA retest its Moon rocket

SLS booster core during a Jan 16, 2021 test at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss.

A cargo ship rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday, carrying candy and cheese to satisfy the astronauts' cravings. (NASA video)

Candy, cheese soar to ISS to satisfy crew cravings

WRAL's Mandy Mitchell reports the NC State High-Powered Rocketry Club is partly funded by NASA's Space Grant program, which is an educational link between the space program and college students.

NCSU students busy building rockets for NASA

NC State's High-Powered Rocketry Club is giving students hands-on experience and a path to a future in engineering. 

NC State students build huge rockets for fun and learning 

A former astronaut is working on a revolutionary rocket powered by plasma, and hopes it will send the first human to Mars.

Plasma powered rocket could send first humans to Mars 

39 days to Mars?

Travel time to Mars could be 39 days with new plasma rocket.