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Integrating Wind Profiling Radars and Radiosonde Observations with Model Point Data to Develop a Decision Support Tool to Assess Upper-Level Winds for Space LaunchOn the day of launch, the 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) Launch Weather Officers (LWOs) monitor the upper-level winds for their launch customers. During launch operations, the payload/launch team sometimes asks the LWOs if they expect the upper-level winds to change during the countdown. The LWOs used numerical weather prediction model point forecasts to provide the information, but did not have the capability to quickly retrieve or adequately display the upper-level observations and compare them directly in the same display to the model point forecasts to help them determine which model performed the best. The LWOs requested the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) develop a graphical user interface (GUI) that will plot upper-level wind speed and direction observations from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Automated Meteorological Profiling System (AMPS) rawinsondes with point forecast wind profiles from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) North American Mesoscale (NAM), Rapid Refresh (RAP) and Global Forecast System (GFS) models to assess the performance of these models. The AMU suggested adding observations from the NASA 50 MHz wind profiler and one of the US Air Force 915 MHz wind profilers, both located near the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility, to supplement the AMPS observations with more frequent upper-level profiles. Figure 1 shows a map of KSC/CCAFS with the locations of the observation sites and the model point forecasts.
Document ID
20130008703
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bauman, William H., III
(ENSCO, Inc. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Flinn, Clay
(Weather Squadron (45th) Patrick AFB, FL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 27, 2013
Publication Date
January 6, 2013
Subject Category
Launch Vehicles And Launch Operations
Report/Patent Number
KSC-2012-221R
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNK12MA53C
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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