Aeternum Next Generation Sensors: Enabling Weather Intelligence for Tactical Superiority Behind Enemy Lines

Weather events such as typhoons and heavy rains will play a pivotal role in any future conflict between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region and impact supply chains and logistical capacity of the military. For US Africa Command, drought, deserts, and weather in rainforests are all crucial factors for mission planning. Military sites are also at risk due to weather events as ~1,700 U.S. military sites throughout the world are located on coastlines valued at over $100 billion subject to rising sea-levels.  Regardless if it is dropping bombs, performing space or airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), or delivering cargo, weather impacts all aspects of Dept of the Air Force (DAF) operations. Tactical and precise weather awareness is a key element of mission success. Weather is a crucial factor as air strike planners in the combined air operations center (CAOC) calculate how to mitigate collateral damage and how to ensure survivability of the aircrews. Owning the weather is now more than ever important with new computer modeling tools, enhanced high-resolution satellite imagery, and reach back communications. Aeternum’s modular (ability to measure varying combinations of different sensing variables using unique cartridges) design allows for the measurement of mission-critical weather variables continuously and the flexibility to determine which variables need to be measured for a given mission. Being the most cost-effective (50x cheaper while still providing accuracy and the ability to measure singular or multiple variables at once or in a network), attritable, modular sensor in the market, Aeternum can be left behind in contested environments making them an ideal choice for all weather teams part of the 9th Operations Group and AFSOC. The Aeternum weather sensors can be built to specifically address the needs of the weather team whether they are sensing singular parameters or the suites are stand alone or part of a network. Aeternum aims to accomplish in this Phase II: 1) determine the feasibility to design a completely modular sensor that includes the potential ability for pressure, temperature, present weather, ceilometry, wind velocity and visibility, 2) design different modules which can go together within one cartridge (suite) or individually added, 3) equip the sensor for communication modularity by expanding on its current cellular and LoRa capabilities, 4) continue to provide appropriate power options based on the environment the sensor is placed i.e., solar/battery and dynamic enough to adjust transmission of data (frequency of data being shared with the controller) based on power option selected, 5) update the design of the sensor to be cost-effective greatly reducing the current price tag of current sensors, 6) provide a prototype for testing of new design and features.