News

Chemical Plant Lightning Protection Inspection

SLS recently performed a lightning protection inspection for a polymer manufacturing plant in North Carolina. SLS engineers conducted a thorough visual inspection of the LPS and performed a series of bonding and loop resistance measurements to verify the integrity of the system. Further, SLS helped the customer locate and diagnose grounding issues that contributed to unplanned power interruptions…

Lightning Risk Assessments for Mining Operations

Over the past several years, SLS has worked with several prominent international mining companies to perform lightning risk assessments, per IEC-62305, to quantify lightning-related risk to personnel performing specific tasks at the mines. After realizing the productivity benefits stemming from prior risk assessment results, SLS was recently approached by a customer to execute a mine-wide lightning…

What happens when lightning strikes pavement?

This past weekend, SLS' Jupiter OLS high-speed video lightning surveillance systems imaged a multi-stroke flash that terminated on the edge of the "crawlerway" which connects NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39A/B. The flash struck about 150ft from the camera. The first several strokes attached to a metal anchoring rod for the wooden barriers on the crawlerway. The last stroke…

Direct Lightning Strike to Launch Complex 39B

Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center was directly struck by lightning twice in a 14 minute window in mid-May. The video below shows the first two strokes of a four stroke flash. The flash attached to the catenary wire system that is designed to protect launch vehicles on the pad surface below.

Recorded Strike To The Ocean

Jupiter OLS recorded this strike to the ocean just beyond the surf-line last week.

The camera system was monitoring the area around Launch Complex 39A, which has supported recent manned missions to the International Space Station.

Direct Lightning Strike to Launch Complex 41

Jupiter OLS systems at the Kennedy Space Center imaged a direct lightning strike to the Launch Complex 41 (Atlas V) lightning protection system on the afternoon of May 12, 2021. The images below show a raw and clear-sky reference image overlay of the strike.

Early Season Storms at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

Both Kennedy Space Center and the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station were heavily impacted by lightning storms yesterday. SLS' network of Jupiter Optical Lightning Surveillance (OLS) systems imaged lightning directly impacting several buildings and launch complexes. In addition, there were a large number of cloud-to-ground strokes in the immediate vicinity of Launch Complex 37 (ULA, Delta IV). One…

"Bolt from the Blue" Lightning Flashes

The term "Bolt from the Blue" is often used as a cliche term to describe lightning events that occur unexpectedly in seemingly clear atmospheric conditions well away from a thunderstorm. In reality, these events are a very real, surprisingly common, and dangerous phenomena. BFB flashes perhaps pose one of the highest risks to people working and playing outdoors because they often strike ground many…

Jupiter OLS Images Direct Lightning Strikes to Launch Pads

The Kennedy Space Center was heavily impacted by thunderstorms early Monday morning. SLS' network of Jupiter OLS high-speed camera lightning detection/location systems recorded direct lightning strikes to multiple tall structures, including the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and the lightning protection systems at both Launch Complex 40 (SpaceX/Falcon 9) and Launch Complex 41 (ULA/Atlas…

Jupiter TMS Supports Space Launch System Green Run Testing

Two of SLS' Jupiter TMS (Transient Monitoring System) units provided continuous lightning and transient monitoring for critical launch vehicle umbilical cables during the Green Run testing of NASA's Space Launch System core stage at the Stennis Space Center (SSC). NASA conducted the Green Run testing, a full 8-minute hot fire of the four core stage booster RS-25 engines, on March 18, 2021. The core…