InterMet IMET-54-AS Radiosondes
Waiver type - Procurement: Nonavailability
Agency: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (1330) • Product Service Code (PSC) : 6660 | Last Modified: 09/11/2024
Procurement Summary
The GML requires radiosondes to be used during launches of balloonborne ozonesonde and water vapor/aerosol instruments. The InterMet IMET-54-AS is a radiosonde interfaced with the ozonesonde, water vapor, and aerosol instruments. The instrument measures air temperature with a small glass bead thermistor. Its small size minimizes effects caused by long and short-wave radiation and ensures fast response times. The humidity sensor is a thin-film capacitive polymer that responds directly to relative humidity. Radiosonde height is provided by the integrated GNSS receiver, and pressure is derived from the reported altitude, combined with the temperature and humidity readings. Wind speed and direction reporting during the sounding is derived from the GNSS position information, with processing algorithms ensuring that wind vectors are not affected by swinging of the radiosonde beneath the balloon. Packet transmission uses error correction techniques to ensure reliable, accurate data reception for all expected link conditions.
Waiver Rationale Summary
The GML conducts balloon launches from up to nine (9) sites around the world, launching three to four ozonesondes per month. A necessary component of the ozonesonde instrument is the meteorological radiosonde that interfaces with the unique ozonesonde electronics board to merge and transmit data during flight to the receiving station running SkySonde telemetry software. The InterMet IMET-54-AS is the only method for obtaining high-resolution vertical profile measurements with necessary meteorological data from the surface through the stratospheric ozone layer to eventual balloon-burst at approximately 20 miles altitude. The GML is the world leader in stratospheric ozone measurements, and has 25 years of balloon-sonde measurement experience, attending workshops and projects directly related to ozonesonde data quality. Long-term monitoring is critical to maintain data consistency. The InterMet IMET-54-AS is a necessary component of the multi-instrument balloon package that includes the typical ozonesonde in addition to a frost-point water vapor instrument and aerosol measurement device. The instrument has extended data channels to accommodate the additional data collection and ability to transmit all data streams back to the ground receiving station.
No
Yes
Consistent with Policy
METEOROLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND APPARATUS
334519 - Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing
09/03/2024
N/A
Pre-solicitation
0 - 6 months
Individual Waiver
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION