An Analysis of the Automated Meteorological Profiling System Low Resolution Flight Element

A study was conducted to determine the quality of thermodynamic and wind data measured by or derived from the Low Resolution Flight Element (LRFE) of the Automated Meteorological Profiling System (AMPS). The AMPS LRFE replaced the Meteorological Sounding System (MSS), which was used to provide vertical profiles of thermodynamic and low-resolution wind data in support of spacecraft launch operations at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. Air temperature, relative humidity, and height, which are directly measured by the LRFE, are used to derive air pressure and density. Test flights were conducted where an LRFE sonde and an MSS sonde were attached to the same balloon and the two profiles were compared. MSS data was used as the standard reference data. The objective of the thermodynamic testing was to determine a) if the LRFE met Space Shuttle Program (SSP) accuracy requirements outlined in the Space Shuttle Launch and Landing Program Requirements Document (PRD) and/or, b) if the LRFE met or exceeded MSS data quality. AMPS uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine wind speed and direction. In order to provide a basis for comparison, either an AMPS High Resolution Flight Element (HRFE) or a radar tracked Jimsphere was released simultaneously with each AMPS LRFE at CCAFS. The goal of these tests was to determine if the LRFE wind data met the requirement for low-resolution wind data defined in the Shuttle PRD. Based on the available data, the LRFE is shown to produce more consistent thermodynamic measurements than the MSS. The LRFE is also shown to meet the Shuttle PRD requirements for low resolution wind data.