Final Report of OT-45, PVM-8, and RVTO Weather Documentation, AFCRL/ Minuteman Report Number 5
Abstract
Reentry weather measurements conducted under the Minuteman Natural Hazards Program are described. The missions described are the SAC OT-45, the Minuteman PVM-8, and the ABRES RVTO. Documentation was accomplished primarily by instrumented C-130E and Cessna Citation aircraft, by high-power radar, and by satellite. All of these missions were postured to reenter in 'minimum weather' and the analysis shows that the weather objectives were met in all cases. One of the OT-45 RV's passed through clouds below 6 km, but the values of Weather Severity Index (WSI) were less than 0.1 for all the trajectories. The PVM-8 RV's passed through clouds at 14 km, 8 to 12 km, and below 6 km with maximum water content of 0.0015, 0.005, and 0.03 gm cu m respectively. WSI was 0.1 for RV1 and 0.2 for RV2. The RVTO reentry weather was clear except for thin scattered cirrus above 10 km altitude (water content less than 0.001 gm cu m). Simultaneous weather measurements were performed by aircraft and radar in the link-offset mode, in which the radar weather data were recorded at a fixed distance ahead of the aircraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADB011352
Entities
People
- Arnold A. Barnes Jr.
- James I. Metcalf
- Michael J. Kraus
Organizations
- Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories