Proteus Flight # 185
23 July, 2002

Objectives:  

Proteus flew lines defined by NPOL over the eastern & western Crystal-Face ground sites
contributing to tropical cirrus cloud characterization with the other Project aircraft.
The flight tracks were defined to intercept cirrus flowing over Florida from Atlantic 
maritimeconvection over the eastern site, and from peninsula convection over the western 
site.  Coincidence between Proteus, ER-2, WB-57, and the Citation over the eastern ground 
was achieved ~ 1530 EDT (1930 UT).



Summary: 

Proteus takeoff was at 17:00 GMT.  NAST-I performance was nominal and recorded data from 
18:16 GMT to 23:40 GMT.   NAST-M recorded data between 17:48 GMT and 23:56 GMT with nominal 
performance being achieved throughout the flight; the 425 GHz channels will not be fully 
operational until after the Crystal-Face deployment.  FIRSC operated nominally throughout 
their on period from 18:03 to 23:56 GMT.  RSP was powered up at 18:08 GMT and was 
deactivated at 00:12 GMT, and achieved nominal instrument performance throughout this data 
taking period.  POLDER was powered up at 18:12 GMT and was turned off at 23:57 GMT; 
intermittent performance interruptions occurred, again on this flight, yielding a limited 
collection period of useful data.   Proteus landed at 00:04 GMT.