Mar 19 1986
From The Space Library
East Coast winter storms in the form of cyclones were studied by scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland. Concentrating their efforts on coastal regions of North and South Carolina, where these storms develop and move northward, NASA scientists analyzed the upper atmosphere conditions using moisture and wind sounding balloons and the Nimbus-7 satellite to collect data.
Another criterion for understanding these storms was the analysis of the transfer of moisture from the ocean into the atmosphere. NASA flew its four-engine Electra aircraft, outfitted with a combined laser/telescope (Lidar), to detect salt spray and aerosols as it fired a lazer beam that allowed the telescope to measure rising moisture and convection patterns. NASA's ER-2 air-craft was used in higher altitudes for the same purpose;; it carried microwave radio-meters able to detect water vapor and cloud liquid water content. (NASA Release 86-30)
NASA scheduled five expendable launches in 1986 from Cape Canaveral, Florida, employing Delta rockets, used in joint management with the McDonnell Douglas launch team, and Atlas Centaur rockets, jointly managed launches with General Dynamics Convair. Of the five satellites, two were for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellites were designed for weather forecasting and collecting data on various environmental effects. The other three were for the Department of Defense. Two Fleet Satellite Communication satellites would provide secure communications between land-based facilities and ships, submarines, and aircraft, and one other was for support of the Strategic Defense Initiative. (NASA Release 86-32)
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