Space Industry and Business News  
Weather Center Receives Production System Upgrades

Staff Sgt. Annette Prato, a broadcast weather technician at the American Forces Network Weather Center at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., uses the center's new production system to create visuals for their Pacific weather forecast. The weather center produces 10 shows a day, each disseminated worldwide via satellite. (U.S. Air Force photo/G. A. Volb)
by G. A. Volb
Offutt AFB NB (AFNS) Aug 22, 2007
The American Forces Network Weather Center here received computer upgrades recently ensuring its world-wide products equal or surpass those of its civilian counterparts. The center received two major forecast production units, known as Weather Services International systems, in early August. The first forecasts using the new equipment, which totaled approximately $50,000, were delivered by the eight-member AFNWC team Aug. 10.

"They're the same systems used by local weather stations and The Weather Channel," said Tech. Sgt. David Olds, NCO in charge of AFNWC. "They decrease the amount of time needed to create a show, and significantly improve production capability such as graphics, speed and overall creativity."

Sergeant Olds said the finished products sent daily to the American Forces Radio and Television Service Broadcast Center at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., have improved dramatically.

"The speed of the systems enables us to digitize shows at a higher quality for a crisper, cleaner look with better animation," he said.

The weather center produces 10 shows a day, each disseminated worldwide via satellite. Customers include the Department of Defense, Department of State and other users such as the Pentagon Channel, though not for operational purposes. All told, some 14-million viewers tune in to the center's forecasts at some point to use them in their daily activities.

Seven of the shows include local weather for the current and following day, and three shows include an extended three-day forecast with all the weather-related extras viewers are used to seeing.

For Airman Joe Newlon, however, it's all about the ease of use.

"They make things run a lot smoother, reducing stress," the broadcast weather technician from Keokuk, Iowa, said. "They're just a lot more enjoyable to use."

Staff Sgt. Nathalie Chasse, a broadcast weather technician from Frenchville, Maine, agreed.

"We have more time to be creative since the old systems would crash on a regular basis," she said.

Related Links
The latest in Military Technology for the 21st century at SpaceWar.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Putin shows off Russia's military aviation
Zhukovsky, Russia (AFP) Aug 21, 2007
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday praised Russia's military aviation at an airshow outside Moscow as Indonesia prepared to sign a major contract for the purchase of Russian fighter jets.







  • Broadband revolutionizes education on remote Maldives atolls
  • NKorea to get Internet code
  • Satellite Multimedia For Mobile Phones
  • Vizada Launches SkyFile Access For Better Mobile Satellite Data Transfer

  • India To Launch INSAT-4CR From Sriharikota On Sept 01
  • Ariane 5 - Third Dual-Payload Launch Of 2007
  • Lockheed Martin Marks 33rd Consecutive A2100 Success With The Launch Of BSAT-3A
  • ILS to Launch Inmarsat Satellite On Proton Vehicle Next Spring

  • Thompson Files: F-35 engine follies
  • Indonesia to buy six Sukhoi jets: Russia
  • China Southern intending to buy 55 Boeing 737 aircraft
  • Russia To Build Over 4,500 Aircraft By 2025

  • Northrop Grumman Showcases Information-Enabled Joint Warfighting Capabilities At LandWarNet Conference
  • Antenna Wings For Advanced EHF Communications Satellite Delivered To Integrator
  • Russian Armed Forces To Adopt New Communications System By 2015
  • Empire Challenge 07 Tests Emerging Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Concepts

  • In Japan, 3D images in your pocket
  • Sharp develops super-thin LCD TV
  • Boeing-Built Spaceway 3 Satellite Operational After Launch
  • ATK To Build Satellite Link Signal Generator With Sandia National Laboratories

  • Northrop Grumman Appoints James Myers VP And GM Of Navigation Systems Division
  • Senior Official Of Energia Space Appointed President
  • New SIDC Commander Has The Wright Stuff
  • NASA Administrator Names Ryschkewitsch As New Chief Engineer

  • China Develops Beidou Satellite Monitoring System
  • DigitalGlobe Announces Launch Date For WorldView-1
  • Radar reveals vast medieval Cambodian city: study
  • Satellite Tracking Will Help Answer Questions About Penguin Travels

  • Galileo To Support Global Search And Rescue
  • Car Satellite Navigation Systems Can Be Steered The Wrong Way
  • ShoZu One-Click Image Upload Service To Be Embedded In Samsung Handsets
  • T-Mobile Austria Customers Can Now Avoid Becoming Lost With GPS SatNav From TeleNav

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement