Graham Sutherland / PolynomialArtemis II launch is approaching T-20m until launch!
RF folks: am I right in thinking that the three big masts surrounding the launch pad are supporting big helical antennas on the top? big white corkscrew looking things pointing directly up.
Darrell Harmon@gsuberland Looks about right, that would be a fiberglass (or similar insulator) tube if an antenna. One took a real beating if that's the case: https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/space/2022/08/28/lightning-strikes-artemis-launch-pad-towers
Ken Milmore@dlharmon @gsuberland I hope they have all been to the toilet. It seems like a bit of a wait.
@gsuberland Apparently it is a fiberglass tube.
"Lightning protection at the Space Shuttle launch pads is provided primarily by a 70-foot insulating fiberglass mast 5 feet in diameter located on the Fixed Service Structure with a lightning rod at the top of the mast, as shown in Figure 1. A catenary wire running from the top of the mast to grounding points 1000 feet to the north and south of the tower is used to direct the current away from the pad structure."