# Presentation: 212718

## Weather Launch Commit Criteria

** ****Updates**

**Kathy Winters**
**45****th**** Weather Squadron, USAF**
**Cape Canaveral Air Force Station**
**(321)- 853 - 8107 / 8484**
**Katherine.winters@patrick.af.mil**

## Overview

**Imaging—Ops Implementation**
**Ground Winds @ LC 39**
**Temperatures**
**Flight Through Precipitation**
**Lightning LCC Definitions**
**Attached and Detached Anvil—VAHIRR**

## Imaging

## System Operational Requirements Implementation

**2 methods for system operational control**
**Launch Commit Criteria (LCC)**
**Operations and Maintenance Requirements Specification (OMRS)**
**Camera assets operational requirements control via OMRS File VI/File II**
** ****(1) Requirement for functional bench test**
** ****(2) Test camera upon installation in field**
** ****(3) Test camera at Call to Stations (before Tanking Meeting)**
** ****(4) Identify T-20 minute launch requirement for cameras using prime and HDTV fallback**
** ****Identify 3 of 10 Long Range North (as long as no 2 are on same tracker)**
** ****Identify 3 of 10 Long Range South (as long as no 2 are on same tracker)**
** ****Identify 3 of 6 Medium Range South (as long as no 2 are on same tracker)**
** ****Identify 3 of 6 Medium Range West (as long as no 2 are on same tracker)**
** ****Identify 3 of 6 Medium Range North (as long as no 2 are on same tracker)**
** ****Identify 1 of 2 Airborne Assets for Ceiling of 8k**
**POCs control via LCC**
**1 of 2 control systems required for launch**

## System Reporting Guidelines

**“****KSC-owned” assets reported thru responsible contractor (KICS)**
**Launch Readiness Review**
**Flight Readiness Review**
**MMT L-2 (L-1)**
**Pre-ET Load Meeting ***
**T-9 minute hold ***
*** ****Reported to NASA Test Director (NTD) by Support Test Manager (STM).**
**   ****NTD reports to Shuttle Launch Director.**
**“****45 SW-owned” assets reported thru ER Liaison to NASA**
**Launch Readiness Review**
**Flight Readiness Review**
**MMT L-2 (L-1)**
**Pre-ET Load Meeting ***
**T-9 minute hold ***
*** Reported to NTD by Superintendent of Range Operations (SRO).**
**   ****NTD reports to Shuttle Launch Director.**

## System Reporting Guidelines cont.

**Shuttle Launch Director reports entire system readiness to MMT chair prior to ET Load and prior to T-9 minute resume**
**Note:  No new Launch **_**Weather**_** LCCs related to Ground Imagery**

## Slide 7

## Shuttle Low Ceiling Rules

_**Shuttle Low Ceiling Rules**_

_**<**_** 500 ft**
** ****Thick**

**> 500 ft**
** ****Thick**

**Non-ISS**
**Mission**

**ISS **
**Mission**

_**<**_** 500 ft**
** ****Thick**

**> 500 ft**
** ****Thick**

- RTLS (SLF)

- Launch (PAD)

**NO GO**

**Conditional**

**GO**

## Ground Winds

## GSE-24 Ground Winds

_**GSE-24 Ground Winds**_

**New!**

## Temperatures

## Shuttle Temperature Rules

**Key:****	****	****	****	****	****	****	**
** ****	****     ****Green - i.e., no violation****	**
**	**
**	****     ****Conditional - i.e., Green or Red depending upon relative humidity****	**
**	****     ****Red - i.e., violation of minimum air temp criteria****	**

_**Shuttle Temperature Rules**_

- Ambient Air Temp, Deg F

- Wind Speed
- (Kts)

**ALSO: Propellant Loading shall not be initiated not initiated if **
**  ****Average temp for the 24 hours prior to tanking is < 41.3F**
**  ****Temp any time during past 24 hours < 33F**

**New!**

## Flight Through Precipitation

## Shuttle Precip Rule

**DO NOT**** ****launch if precipitation (visible rain, virga, or ****minimum discernible weather radar echo****) exists in the flight path.**

_**Shuttle Precip Rule**_

**Working to Delete!**

## Lightning LCC

## Lightning LCC

**Definitions Added:**
**Cloud Base**
**Field Mill**
**Volume Average Height  Integrated Radar Reflectivity (VAHIRR)**
**Definitions Revised:  **
**Threshold Revised:  Cloud vs. No Cloud Radar Reflectivity (10 dBz changed to 0 dBz)**
***Related to cloud top; edge; base; transparent vs non-transparent**
**Cloud Top***
**Non-Transparent*:  Removed ambiguous statements **
**Precipitation*: “Hail” and “Graupel” added**
**Transparent*:  Clarified/Simplified**
**Within:  Added “Cloud Base” as subsidiary definition**

## Anvil/VAHIRR

## Summary

**Imaging**
**No new WEATHER LCC**
**Ground Winds @ LC 39**
**More restrictive from NE and SW**
**Temperatures**
**New cold temp prior to initiating tanking**
**Flight Through Precipitation**
**Small, but important, changes**
**Lightning LCC Definitions**
**Added:  Cloud Base, Field Mill**
**Revised:  Cloud Top, Non-Transparent, Precipitation, Transparent, Within;  Threshold revised:  0dBz**
**Attached and Detached Anvil—VAHIRR**
**Increase launch availability**

## Questions?

**Kathy Winters**
**45****th**** Weather Squadron, USAF**
**Cape Canaveral Air Force Station**
**(321)- 853 - 8107 / 8484**
**Katherine.winters@patrick.af.mil**

## Backup Charts

**Anvil Rules with VAHIRR**

## Do not launch if the flight path will carry the launch vehicle through or within 10 nautical miles of a nontransparent part of any attached anvil cloud for the first 30 minutes after the last lightning discharge in or from the parent cloud or anvil cloud. 

## AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)

**	****(a) The portion of the attached anvil cloud within 5 nautical miles of the flight path is located entirely at altitudes where the temperature is colder than 0 degrees Celsius; **_**and**_
**	****(b) The volume-averaged, height-integrated radar reflectivity is less than +33 dBZ-kft (+10 dBZ-km) everywhere along the portion of the flight path where any part of the attached anvil cloud is within the specified volume.**

**AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)**

## Do not launch if the flight path will carry the launch vehicle through a nontransparent part of any attached anvil cloud less than 3 hours after the last lightning discharge in or from the parent cloud or anvil cloud.

## AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)

**	****(a) The portion of the attached anvil cloud within 5 nautical miles of the flight path is located entirely at altitudes where the temperature is colder than 0 degrees Celsius; **_**and**_
**	****(b) The volume-averaged, height-integrated radar reflectivity is less than +33 dBZ-kft (+10 dBZ-km) everywhere along the portion of the flight path where any part of the attached anvil cloud is within the specified volume. **** **

**AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)**

## Do not launch if the flight path will carry the launch vehicle through or within 10 nautical miles of a nontransparent part of a detached anvil cloud for the first 30 mines after the last lightning discharge in or from the parent cloud or anvil before detachment or after the last lightning discharge in or from the detached anvil cloud after detachment. 

## AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)

**	****(1) This section is satisfied if **_**all three**_** of the following conditions are met:**
**	****	****(i) There is at least one working field mill within 5 nautical miles of the detached anvil cloud; **_**and**_
**	****	****(ii) The absolute values of all electric field measurements at the surface within 5 nautical miles of the flight path and at each field mill specified in (i) above have been less than 1000 V/m for 15 minutes; **_**and**_
**	****	****(iii) The maximum radar return from any part of the detached anvil cloud within 5 nautical miles of the flight path has been less than 10 dBZ for 15 minutes.**
**	****(2) This section is satisfied if **_**both**_** of the following conditions are met:**
**	****	****(i) The portion of the detached anvil cloud within 5 nautical miles of the flight path is located entirely at altitudes where the temperature is colder than 0 degrees Celsius; **_**and**_
**	****	****(ii) The volume-averaged, height-integrated radar reflectivity is less than +33 dBZ-kft (+10 dBZ-km) everywhere along the portion of the flight path where any part of the detached anvil cloud is within the specified volume.**

**AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)**

## AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)

**	****(1) This section is satisfied if **_**both**_** of the following conditions are met.**
**	****	****(i) At least 4 hours have passed since the last lightning discharge in or from the detached anvil cloud; **_**and**_
**	****	****(ii) At least 3 hrs have passed since the time the anvil cloud detached from the parent cloud.**
**	****(2) This section is satisfied if **_**both**_** of the following conditions are met.**
**	****	****(i) The portion of the detached anvil cloud within 5 nautical miles of the flight path is located entirely at altitudes where the temperature is colder than 0 degrees Celsius; **_**and**_
**	****	****(ii) The volume-averaged, height-integrated radar reflectivity is less than +33 dBZ-kft (+10 dBZ-km) everywhere along the portion of the flight path where any part of the detached anvil cloud is within the specified volume.**

**AND there is <35dBZ everywhere w/in 10NM of flight @ 13Kft & above (fm definitions)**