Honeywell Deploys HALAS Technology To Vandenberg Space Force Base To Enhance Launch Operations

Weather is a leading factor in launch delays and scrubs. With the number of launches expected to increase tenfold over the next decade, the demand for a next generation atmospheric sensing system that delivers validated, real-time weather information has never been greater.

To demonstrate HALAS capabilities for optimizing launch operations at the Western Range, Honeywell has partnered with the United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and SLD30 Weather Flight to deploy the technology at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB). 

HALAS is a remotely operated, steerable, ground-based weather information system that uses laser pulses to measure the atmosphere in targeted areas of interest and can provide data as frequently as every 5 minutes. It delivers more accurate and relevant data than weather balloons, and can reach altitudes exceeding 100,000 feet in the atmosphere.

Currently, HALAS measures atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction. Additional capabilities will be added in the future, including aerosol measurement, wind shear, optical turbulence, gas sensing, and lightning probability.

As an extension of our cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with AFRL, this proof-of-concept demonstration seeks to support missions including commercial and military launches, Tactically Responsive Space (TacRS), National Security Space Launch (NSSL), Missile Defense, and Global Strike launches.

Space-based technologies that provide on-time weather information are vital for national defense and the commercial sector. HALAS delivers the up-to-date environmental information authorities need to make a “go/no-go” launch decision with confidence.