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NASA Shuttle Specific Sections => Atlantis (Post STS-135, T&R) => Topic started by: shuttlefanatic on 05/24/2010 03:28 pm

Title: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: shuttlefanatic on 05/24/2010 03:28 pm
Here's this morning's SMG forecast for Wednesday's landing.  Their extended forecast shows a chance of showers through Saturday.

Quote
NOAA/NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
SPACEFLIGHT METEOROLOGY GROUP / WS8
LYNDON B. JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
HOUSTON TX               77058
730 AM CDT MONDAY MAY 24 2010

LANDING FORECAST FOR STS-132

EXPECTED LANDING DATE:      05/26/10
                 TIME:      1248Z
                 SITE:      KENNEDY SPACE CENTER...FL

U.S. LANDING SITES - EOM - WEDNESDAY 05/26/10

 SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY...KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FL
 KSC  SCT030 BKN100 BKN250           7              33012P18
      CHC SHRA WI 30NM

 EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE CA
 EDW  FEW040 SCT080 BKN250           7              22013P19
      SLGT CHC SHRA WI 30NM

 NORTHRUP STRIP...WHITE SANDS SPACE HARBOR NM
 NOR  FEW060                         7              14008P10


 FLIGHT RULE VIOLATIONS:
 KSC ... PRECIP
 EDW ... PRECIP
 NOR ... NONE

U.S. LANDING SITES - EOM+1 - THURSDAY 05/27/10

 SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY...KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FL
 KSC  FEW025 SCT080 BKN250           7              34007P11
      CHC SHRA WI 30NM

 EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE CA
 EDW  FEW040 BKN250                  7              23014P20


 NORTHRUP STRIP...WHITE SANDS SPACE HARBOR NM
 NOR  FEW060 FEW100 SCT250           7              14008P10


 FLIGHT RULE VIOLATIONS:
 KSC ... PRECIP
 EDW ... NONE
 NOR ... NONE


Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/24/2010 11:38 pm
Well looks like Edwards will be clear on Thursday so that is good, I would be willing to bet that Atlantis will be on the ground by Thursday at the latest.
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Fuji on 05/25/2010 09:30 am
Well looks like Edwards will be clear on Thursday so that is good, I would be willing to bet that Atlantis will be on the ground by Thursday at the latest.

FD12 Execute Package includes EOM, EOM+1, EOM+2 weather charts.
-FD11 MMT summary
 "the landing strategy would be KSC only on EOM, KSC only on EOM+1, and pick-em day on EOM+2."
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/457981main_FD12.pdf
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: psloss on 05/25/2010 01:12 pm
Well looks like Edwards will be clear on Thursday so that is good, I would be willing to bet that Atlantis will be on the ground by Thursday at the latest.
FD12 Execute Package includes EOM, EOM+1, EOM+2 weather charts.
-FD11 MMT summary
 "the landing strategy would be KSC only on EOM, KSC only on EOM+1, and pick-em day on EOM+2."
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/457981main_FD12.pdf
If they don't make it into KSC tomorrow, the Entry team will re-evaluate, but as noted in the briefing yesterday and the execute package, they are good out to at least EOM+3.  The plan right now is not to call up Edwards on Wednesday or Thursday.
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: shuttlefanatic on 05/26/2010 06:55 am
Excerpt from SMG forecast for today's landing opportunities, indicating showers mainly offshore:

Quote
148 AM CDT WEDNESDAY MAY 26 2010

LANDING FORECAST FOR STS-132

EXPECTED LANDING DATE:      05/26/10
                 TIME:      1248Z
                 SITE:      KENNEDY SPACE CENTER...FL

U.S. LANDING SITES - EOM - WEDNESDAY 05/26/10

 SHUTTLE LANDING FACILITY...KENNEDY SPACE CENTER FL
 FIRST OPPORTUNITY
 KSC  SCT030 SCT080                  7              33009P15
      CHC SHRA WI 30NM MAINLY OWTR

 SECOND OPPORTUNITY
 KSC  SCT030 SCT080                  7              33012P18
      CHC SHRA WI 30NM

 EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE CA
 EDW  SCT040 BKN080 OVC250           7              22015P21
      SLGT CHC SHRA WI 30NM

 NORTHRUP STRIP...WHITE SANDS SPACE HARBOR NM
 NOR  FEW060                         7              14008P10


 FLIGHT RULE VIOLATIONS:
 KSC ... PRECIP
 EDW ... PRECIP
 NOR ... NONE

Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/26/2010 07:23 am
SMG weather channel:  http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/rrg2.pl?encoder/wx.rm
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: shuttlefanatic on 05/26/2010 07:26 am
Current NWS NEXRAD image showing some small cells offshore; no range rings, but they're at about 30nm from the SLF.  (http://radar.weather.gov/radar_lite.php?product=NCR&loop=no&rid=mlb updates every 5 minutes or so)
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/26/2010 07:32 am
Showers staying away from the circle
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/26/2010 08:57 am
line of showers that is the biggest concern is the one up to the north, but is predicted to take about 5 hours to get south to the SLF
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/26/2010 10:12 am
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 10:19 am
Latest METAR at KSC :

KTTS 260955Z 30004KT 10SM FEW021 22/21 A2989 RMK SLP122 1CU /0/ N3105/07 C3005/07 S3004/07

Good for now, have to watch out for those showers coming from the N-W.
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 10:23 am
And a SPECI :

SPECI KTTS 261010Z 31005KT 9SM MIFG FEW021 22/21 A2989 RMK SLP122 1CU /0/ N3106/07 C3106/09 S3105/08
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/26/2010 10:35 am
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 10:41 am
Latest SPECI :
SPECI KTTS 261025Z 31005KT 8SM MIFG FEW029 FEW100 22/21 A2989 RMK SLP122 1CU /0/ 1AC /0/ N3005/07 C3005/08 S3105/08

Visibility going down, relative humidity still 94%, which is coherent with the mince fog that appeared. Still watching those showers from the N-W
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 10:51 am
SPECI KTTS 261040Z 30005KT 8SM MIFG FEW029 FEW100 22/21 A2990 RMK SLP125 1CU /0/ 1AC /0/ N3006/09 C3005/09 S3005/07

Showers seems to be progressively disappearing as they close in. Meteorology group more and more optimistic.
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Ronsmytheiii on 05/26/2010 10:57 am
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 10:59 am
Metars every 15 minutes now

METAR KTTS 261055Z 31005KT 8SM MIFG FEW029 FEW100 22/21 A2990 RMK SLP125 1CU /0/ 1AC /0/ N3006/08 C3005/07 S3105/07

no significant change.Showers continue to die off. Pretty encouraging.
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: zeke01 on 05/26/2010 11:13 am
Latest SPECI :
SPECI KTTS 261025Z 31005KT 8SM MIFG FEW029 FEW100 22/21 A2989 RMK SLP122 1CU /0/ 1AC /0/ N3005/07 C3005/08 S3105/08

Visibility going down, relative humidity still 94%, which is coherent with the mince fog that appeared. Still watching those showers from the N-W

Uh, 'mince fog'?  What's that?

For reference:

MIFG == shallow fog
BCFG == patchy fog
PRFG == fog covering parts of the airport

zeke
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 11:15 am
Sorry, french habit : MI = mince in french :) Which is exactly the same meaning by the way.
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: zeke01 on 05/26/2010 11:21 am
Sorry, french habit : MI = mince in french :) Which is exactly the same meaning by the way.
In English, 'mince' means finely diced or chopped, so you understand the puzzlement.  :)

zeke
Title: Re: STS-132 Landing Weather
Post by: Nephi on 05/26/2010 11:23 am
Yep, the funny thing is I perfectly know what mince means in english (that's what you get from going to the restaurant ;D), but as I was writing I was talking to my wife (in french obv) at the same time and things must have mixed up in my mind :)