Mid-Sea and Land Based Wind Measurement for Technology Demonstrator

Abstract

This paper presents the requirement and importance of wind data for launch vehicle re-entry missions and describes how the wind measurement and wind profile generation was done effectively for India's first reusable launch vehicle re-entry mission (RLV TD HEX01). The details of ISRO's Pisharoty sonde system, which was used for wind measurement for this mission is also presented. The system provided timely and quality wind data for the DOL-WB of RLV-TD HEX01 mission as per the ascent and descent phase requirements. The scheme for the generation of final wind profile from sonde data, high altitude balloon ascent data, and sounding rocket data, which has to be loaded to the reentry vehicle before liftoff is also described in detail. The augmented scheme with extra ship-based measurements for wind profile generation and backup plan for DOL-WB during both ascent and descent phase proved highly effective. The pressure, temperature, and humidity data collected using the sonde system from both ship-based and SITAR-based measurements, which was vital in atmospheric modeling and prediction during the campaign is also presented in this paper.