The United States Air Force has selected weather intelligence specialist Baron to provide a new weather radar system and data display technology to help facilitate the safe launch of space launch operations.
In 2022, Baron will install a 250KW Klystron C-band dual-polarization radar at Patrick Space Force Station in Florida. The station is just south of Cape Canaveral, the most prominent location for space launch activities in the USA.
Organizations including SpaceX, ULA, NASA, USAF and the US Navy will benefit from the high-resolution data the weather radar will deliver. Using the Baron Lynx data visualization tool, the organizations will be able to view and analyze the data to determine if weather conditions are safe for launch activities and other operations.
Joel A Ward, president of The JAAW Group, a Baron partner and the prime contractor for the project, said, “The weather radar location allows for an acute understanding of weather and how it will impact launches. In addition, the weather data will be critical to support decisions regarding risk to personnel and critical infrastructure, allowing the staff to make appropriate weather-based decisions to proceed or postpone a launch with confidence.”
The Baron radar will feature CLEAN-AP clutter suppression technology, available exclusively through a partnership with the University of Oklahoma, that ensures the most precise display of weather targets. The radar also includes Baron’s Multi-radial Calibration technology, which calibrates the radar with every sweep.
Radar technicians and meteorologists from Baron, alongside The JAAW Group, will provide in-depth training as part of the installation.