Before a space vehicle is launched, it must travel from the hanger to the launch site and wait for its launch window. From the time it leaves the hanger until liftoff, the rocket may be at risk from wind.
CPP assesses the wind risks by wind-tunnel testing a scale model of the vehicle and its launch structure. We examine the effects of wind from 36 directions and test various stages of separation of the rocket from the launch structure. Using the results, we provide information about which conditions pose the greatest risk and offer ways to mitigate that risk.
While confidentiality prevents us from discussing the specifics of our space-vehicle projects, CPP has performed testing and analysis for several leading companies in the US space industry and for many space vehicles and their launch-site structures.