HR: 0800h
AN: IN21B-1184    [Abstracts]
TI: Real-Time Data Monitoring and Payload Control Using SAMPLE/ISC and REVEAL in Atmospheric Electricity Research
AU: * Mach, D M
EM: douglas.mach@msfc.nasa.gov
AF: Earth System Science Center University of Alabama in Huntsville, 320 Sparkman DR Room 4001, Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Blakeslee, R J
EM: richard.blakeslee@nasa.gov
AF: Earth and Planetary Science Branch NASA/MSFC, NSSTC/XD11 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Bateman, M G
EM: Monte.Bateman@msfc.nasa.gov
AF: Universities Space Research Association, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Bailey, J C
EM: jeff.bailey@msfc.nasa.gov
AF: Raytheon ITSS, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Hall, J M
EM: john.hall@msfc.nasa.gov
AF: Computer Sciences Corporation, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805 United States
AU: Freudinger, L C
EM: Lawrence.C.Freudinger@nasa.gov
AF: Test Systems Directorate NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center, M/S 1623A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523 United States
AU: Yarbough, S K
EM: sky.yarbrough@dfrc.nasa.gov
AF: Research Facility & Engineering Support Services Arcata Associates, Inc., M/S 1623A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523 United States
AU: Sorensen, C E
EM: carl.sorenson@dfrc.nasa.gov
AF: Analytical Services & Materials, Inc., M/S 1623I, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523 United States
AU: Jennison, C D
EM: Chris.D.Jennison@nasa.gov
AF: Flight Projects Directorate NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, M/S 4830A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523 United States
AB: We have built a system, Storm Airborne Monitor for Precipitation, Lightning, and Environment using Intelligent Sensor Control (SAMPLE/ISC) for real-time data monitoring, payload control, and data recording. The basic system was successfully demonstrated during the Tropical Cloud System and Processes (TCSP) experiment in July 2005. It integrates innovative aircraft payload, communications, and data recording components with ground-based applications. The ground-based applications consisting of both a Ground Control Application and a java-based Mission Monitor Display program linked via internet to radar, satellite, lightning, and the aircraft data. To provide the connection from the ground to the aircraft systems, we used NASA/Dryden supplied hardware, Iridium satellite link, and the Research Environment for Vehicle-Embedded Analysis on Linux (REVEAL) software. Our SAMPLE/ISC instrumentation consists of seven rotating vane type electric field sensors and a two channel conductivity probe. A future version will also integrate data from a passive radiometer. This integrated system allows any researcher using the Java application to track aircraft position and status along with real-time radar, lightning, and satellite data. The program can ingest image data from almost any source and use it as an underlay for the aircraft track and status data. We plotted the location and altitude of a NASA ER-2 aircraft during the Tropical Cloud System Project (TCSP) in real-time over the most recent satellite data (local radar data was not available) and Costa Rican lightning data and the Vaisala long range lightning data. This information allowed the flight directors to vector the ER-2 aircraft toward the intended targets and provide escape vectors when needed. The ground station was capable of plotting several aircraft tracks and at times we would also track a NOAA P-3 aircraft when its position was available. The combination of satellite data, aircraft position, and electric field data provided vital guidance during the overflights of several hurricanes as well as overflights of non-hurricane convective regions. In addition, the real-time link with the aircraft using the Ground Control Application also allowed us to monitor, command, and in some cases, patch our instrumentation and data collection system on the aircraft in real-time. The REVEAL system provided a 2400 baud data rate to and from the ground station that we used to monitor and control our SAMPLE/ISC package.
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
DE: 0694 Instruments and techniques
DE: 0760 Engineering
SC: Earth and Space Science Informatics [IN]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005