The world’s space ports play a crucial role in everyday life. Orbital sensors processed and launched from these facilities track weather patterns, provide GPS navigation data, enable critical domestic and military communications, transmit programs to televisions, and so much more. Then there are the scientists, whose studies lead to innovations that ultimately improve societies.
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With attention focused on the rockets and satellites launched or the research performed, the protection of vital space port infrastructure (including payloads) and personnel from lightning strikes is easily overlooked. These unexpected incidents can damage facilities and equipment, interrupt work, and even cause injury or death.
Protect your space port assets with pioneering lightning solutions from Scientific Lightning Solutions. As the global lightning science, protection, and engineering leader, we solve complicated lightning-related challenges.
Lightning Impacts on Space Port Activity
Lightning discharges contain tremendous amounts of electrical energy. The impact of a direct strike is immediately apparent because damaged buildings, scarred trees, and personal injury or death is often the result.
A secondary lightning strike effect is short-duration, high-voltage spikes commonly called lightning surges or lightning transients. These events can cause equally catastrophic, if less visually obvious, damage to electrical systems and electronics inside space ports. This can lead to the following issues.
- Scrubbed launches
- Equipment repair, maintenance or complete replacement
- Facility downtime
- Employee downtime
- Reduced revenues
- Unsatisfied customer base
As the global community continues to embrace technological conveniences made possible by equipment propelled into the cosmos from space ports, an aborted launch has a damaging trickle-down effect. Satellite launch delays put additional strain on existing interstellar infrastructure, which negatively impacts the governments, businesses, and people on earth that depend upon them.
Your Lightning Protection Source
Preparation is the best way to curtail lightning strike effects. Scientific Lightning Solutions offers a range of innovative lightning consulting services and monitoring products designed for space port owners and their service providers.
- Lightning and transient monitoring
- Consulting
- Lightning protection and grounding inspection services
- Lightning risk assessments
- Asset, personnel, and structure lightning protection design
- Sensors
- Electronics
Mission-Critical Facilities Require Industry-Leading Expertise
SLS’ lightning protection & grounding inspection and lightning risk assessment services identify any lightning-related vulnerabilities at launch sites and surrounding facilities. The identified dangers are then addressed through proper lightning protection, shielding, bonding and grounding, in addition to appropriate safety measures. These measures defends the facility from physical damage or costly downtime caused by thunderstorms.
Precision lightning monitoring equipment alerts of lightning strikes directly impacting space port processes and in the surrounding area. This real-time evidence allows facility supervisors to take a proactive approach to maintenance and inspections. Products we design for space ports include:
- Jupiter Optical Lightning Surveillance, or Jupiter OLS
- Jupiter Transient Monitoring System, or Jupiter TMS
Jupiter OLS is the world’s first site-specific lightning monitoring system that detects 100% of lightning strikes. The system pinpoints lightning strike locations with unprecedented accuracy. Each Jupiter OLS system is tailored to the space port’s specific requirements and monitoring targets.
Jupiter TMS reliably monitors, accurately measures, and quickly reports lightning-related transient signals that might compromise space port asset integrity. It enables space port leadership teams to stay one step ahead of lightning storms.
Our products are manufactured from aerospace-grade and mil-spec components to ensure operational longevity even with prolonged exposure to harsh environments.
Proven Space Port Lightning Solutions
When preparing a satellite or rocket for the extreme stresses of interstellar travel, a lot is on the line, and results are everything. After years of development, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Air Force, and NASA have authorized Scientific Lightning Solutions to provide ground truth lightning data for critical homeland infrastructure.
Our expert team has performed lightning risk assessments, installed equipment, and inspected existing lightning protection measures for the world’s foremost spaceflight providers at leading NASA facilities and government or third-party launch sites. Also, we have designed and consulted on lightning protection systems for the defense department and its top contractors.
We are proud to provide ground-truth data for all NASA, Kennedy Space Center, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station active launch pads and adjacent areas of interest. Also, we evaluate the effectiveness of the defense department’s state-of-the-art lightning location and detection systems.
Continue Exploration
Optimizing launchpad performance is vital for space ports. Facilities that understand thunderstorm negative effects can take advantage of SLS’ expertise to safeguard critical structures, equipment, and workers.
Keep lightning strikes from negatively impacting spaceflight timelines with support from Scientific Lightning Solutions. We’re on your side.
Give us a call to learn more about our space port lightning protection services.
