Tools for Coordinating Aircraft During Hurricane Field Campaigns:

Real Time Mission Monitor and Waypoint Planning Tool

Richard Blakeslee / NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

65th Interdepartmental Hurricane ConferenceMiami, Florida3 March 2011

Acknowledgments

• Team MembersMichael Goodman NASA MSFC Co-Principal InvestigatorJohn Hall UAHuntsville Lead Developer, RTMMMatt He UAHuntsville Lead Developer, WPTPaul Meyer NASA MSFC Systems DeveloperHelen Conover UAHuntsville Project ManagerKathryn Regner UAHuntsville Systems EngineerDanny Hardin UAHuntsville Web Team LeadTammy Smith UAHuntsville Web Design and DevelopmentMichele Garrett UAHuntsville Systems Administrator

• Users and Collaborators– Provided valuable suggestions and feedback that have

contributed to steady improvements in RTMM and WPT– Special thanks to Michael Black, NOAA HRD, who has certainly

been one of our power users!

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The Real Time Mission Monitor (RTMM) is an interactive visualization application that provides situational awareness and field asset management to enable adaptive and strategic decision making during airborne field experiments.

Real Time Mission Monitor“Making Science Easier”

• Integrates satellite, airborne, and surface data sets

• Tracks airborne vehicle state information

• Displays model and forecast parameter fields

• Utilizes a distributed Web-based architecture Screen capture of RTMM on 12 Sept 2006 showing

DC8 flight of Tropical Storm Helene during the NAMMA field campaign.

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RTMM Applications“Making Science Easier”

• Pre-flight planning– Model and forecast fields– Satellite overpass predicts– Waypoint Planning Tool

• In-flight monitoring and adaptive flight strategies– Operations center focal point– Current weather conditions– Plane-to-plane data transfer

• Post-flight analyses, research, and assessments– Encapsulate and replay missions

RTMM supports all phases of field experiments

Matt He works aboard the NASA DC-8 during a flight over the Gulf of Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

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RTMM User Base“Making Science Easier”

– Research Scientists– Program and Project Managers– Pilots and Flight Engineers– Educators and Students– Media and Public Affairs– Science Attentive Public

RTMM available for use byuser base that includes:

Mission Scientists John Molinari and Richard Blakeslee use RTMM on the DC-8 during the Hurricane Earl flight on 1 Sept 2010.

RTMM enables:– Real time interactions and

collaborations– Post-flight mission review and

case study development5

RTMM used in the cockpit of the RTMM used in the cockpit of the DC-8 during GRIP on September 6, DC-8 during GRIP on September 6, 2010.2010.

RTMM 2nd Generation“Making RTMM Better”

• Implemented RTMM from a web portal using applications on a common framework for science data visualization and airborne mission management.

– Move RTMM from desktop to web browser application

– Simplify and enhance the user interface and functionality

– Seamlessly integrate multiple applications

– Use standard access methods for data, tools, and services

• Enhanced features in the Waypoint Planning Tool in response to feedback from scientists and aircraft pilots

– Support multiple formats for output data

– Provide for improved visualizations and ease of use

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2nd Generation User Interface

7Screen shot on 16 Sept as Global Hawk, WB-57, and DC8 enter the Gulf for a rendezvous with Hurricane Karl

• Multiple windows within the interface to support multi-tasking using different RTMM tools

• Many different layouts possible

• Easy set-up and configuration

• Integrates and displays multiple data types and sources

Waypoint Planning Tool (WPT)

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Field Campaign Support

• Supported many field campaigns, including inter-agency hurricane studies (e.g., TCSP, NAMMA), since 2005 – Earlier campaigns used heritage RTMM applications

• Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) Experiment – 15 Aug to 30 Sep 2010, closely coordinated with NOAA IFEX and

NSF PREDICT

– Tracked 9 aircraft (3-NASA, 3-NOAA, 1-NCAR, 2-AF), flying from different locations

• Winter Storms and Pacific Atmospheric Rivers (WISPAR) Experiment– NOAA/NASA/NSF Global Hawk flight to the North Pacific and Arctic

– February, March 2011 (still underway)9

Hurricane Karl on 16 September 2010

Seven separate aircraft flew over and through H. Karl as it approached the Mexican coast. Animation includes colorized IR and lightning flashes 10

Summary

• RTMM has evolved into a powerful and easy to use application in support of planning, situational awareness and strategic decision-making during airborne field campaigns.

• NASA is very open to sharing these capabilities with any interested group through interagency collaborations in future field activities.

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For additional information about RTMM or WPT please contact:

rich.blakeslee@nasa.gov, phone 256.961.7962