NOAA FORECASTERS PLAY KEY ROLE IN ATLANTIS LAUNCH AND LANDING

April 27, 2000 — For the third day in a row, strong winds delayed the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis Wednesday, but this time the high winds were at one of the three emergency landing sites in Spain and Morocco, instead of the launch site at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But whether the shuttle makes it into orbit when NASA reschedules the launch, still depends on weather forecasts from NOAA's National Weather Service Spaceflight Meteorology Group, a small team of meteorologists at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Frank Brody, meteorologist-in-charge at the Group, said yesterday's weather "was excellent for a successful launch" from Florida, but the crosswinds at one of the overseas emergency sites "made matters too risky." Brody said the main factor in the launch delay Monday and Tuesday was strong winds in Florida, which his forecast team said reached speeds of 18 knots with gusts up to 30 knots on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the two emergency sites in Spain experienced showers and thunderstorms, and the Morocco site had crosswinds that surpassed the 12-knot maximum night-time limit, he said. Strong winds can force a launch delay, since they can impact an emergency landing, according to Brody.

Brody said his team briefed NASA officials Wednesday as close as 10 minutes before the scheduled 3:26 p.m. EDT launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. "Based on what we told them, NASA decided to scrub the launch," Brody added.

The Group, which consists of nine seasoned forecasters, has been the official source of weather information for all human-space flight missions. "The Group has provided a vital decision-making input into the safety of NASA's landing and recovery of human space flight operations since the early 1960s," said Bill Proenza, director of the National Weather Service Southern Region. "We are very proud of the longstanding service to this nation's spaceflight program by this National Weather Service group."

The current Group staff has a combined 60 years experience providing weather support for shuttle launches and landings. The staff is contracted by NASA to support the manned spaceflight program.

Brody said rain, cloud ceilings and winds are the prime weather forces that impact a launch and landing. Before each launch and landing, a NASA reconnaissance plane—operated by an astronaut—will fly into the area above and around the launch and landing region.
This gives a pilot's eye view of the weather to augment information from ground observers, weather radar and satellite data, Brody explained.

"It's NASA's call ultimately," Brody said. "Our role is to offer them the most accurate weather forecast."

Brody said Tuesday's peak crosswind was 30 knots at the Kennedy Space Center runway at the time NASA decided to scrub the launch. "That was way too much wind," he said. Brody explained that if a mechanical problem occurs as the shuttle ascends, NASA's mission control in Houston may direct a "Return To Launch Site Landing." (A Return To Launch Site Landing would occur at the Kennedy Space Center runway about 25 minutes after a launch.)

Between shuttle missions, the Group provides weather training for flight controllers and astronauts, participates in NASA flight control simulations and prepares for future missions.

Relevant Web Sites:

More information about the Spaceflight Meteorology Group and an updated launch weather forecast.

NOAA Media Contacts:
John Leslie, NOAA's National Weather Service, (301) 713-0622.

 

 

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