Sat, Dec 23, 2006
New Radar To Help Locate Missing Presents
The Debris Imaging Radar System, used during the night launch of
NASA's space shuttle mission STS-116, is a new system at Kennedy
Space Center in Florida NASA will make available to Santa Claus on
Christmas Eve.
The system is designed to identify debris falling from the
shuttle during launch. NASA says it will help the jolly old elf the
night before Christmas. Since his elves have gifts piled high on
Santa's sleigh, NASA can determine with great accuracy if any fall
off. The radar system is capable of high-definition radar imagery
giving it the ability to determine the approximate shape, size and
weight of any falling packages.
NASA managers say the system will also help in package recovery
so no child is disappointed by not receiving the presents the jolly
fellow promised. The radar has an auto-track mode so that it can be
left unattended on Christmas Eve and still perform its intended
function. The system will be automatically activated once NASA's
air traffic control radar located on north KSC has made radar
contact with Santa's sleigh.
Also of assistance to Santa this year is the new Differential
Global Positioning Satellite System ground station at the Shuttle
Landing Facility. These new GPS antennas located near the control
tower can help if there is an emergency. Since the sleigh is now
GPS equipped, it can guide Santa to a landing within 10 feet of the
runway's centerline, regardless of which end of the runway he needs
to use.
Though Shuttle Landing Facility personnel will be on holiday
leave, officials at the NASA Tower have agreed to provide the
customary support by turning the landing lights on before they
depart for Christmas, as well as turning on the TACAN radio homing
beacon and the visual alternating green and white lighted rotating
beacon.
NASA will use the orbiter Discovery to mimic Santa's sleigh
during the STS-116 landing currently planned for Friday, to test
these two new systems operating in auto-track mode. If the orbiter
is waved off to land on the West Coast, the Shuttle Training
Aircraft will be used to simulate Santa's sleigh.
If Santa needs help, one of the primary radio frequencies
normally used for communication in restricted airspace will still
be monitored by the Air Force Eastern Range and also NASA
security.
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