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ENSCO Weather – Space Launch Forecasting ENSCO has more than 20 years of experience working with the space industry on launch ranges. Our Meteorological and Range Safety Support (MARSS) system is currently installed at space launch ranges across the United States to ensure safety and reliability of operations.

By acquiring and processing a broad set of meteorological measurements and observations, these systems aid decision makers in all application areas requiring sophisticated weather notification and analysis. The data can be used to track toxic material spills and monitor winds during ranges tests and during launch operations. Current systems include upgraded functionality in the areas of data acquisition and toxic dispersion threat analyses, which enhances our contribution to space launch range sustainment.

ENSCO’s expertise on launch range operations extends to our work at the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. We have staffed and managed the AMU since its inception in 1991. The award-winning AMU has been a critical factor in rapidly transitioning technologies to weather operations in support of the space shuttle, National Space Program, and National Weather Service. NASA management has rated these operations as essential to continued space operations. Recent products developed for the AMU customers include the Anvil Threat Corridor tool for the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) to support all space launches from Kennedy Space Center (KSC); a Lightning Climatology of East Central Florida to assist forecasters with daily lightning probabilities; and the Stable Low Cloud Forecasting study to support space shuttle landing forecasts for KSC.

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