Software for Environmental Monitoring in a Large Facility

Four computer programs enable the nearly real-time distribution, analysis, and display of data on temperature, relative humidity, and particle fallout measured by sensors in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) and the Launch Pad Payload Changeout Room (PCR) at Kennedy Space Center. The previous environmental-monitoring software distributed data only once per hour; did not provide for rapid, automated analysis; and was not flexible enough to accommodate new sensors. Under the present software, readings are taken from the sensors every 2 minutes and transmitted over local-area networks to a server computer. Any computer on the network can display the data as both numerical values and colors (green, yellow, or red for within, almost out of, or out of specification, respectively). Out-of-specification data is also signaled by audible beeps. Optionally, daily graphs of data can be displayed. The programs, written with LabVIEW software, are modular and can be modified easily to accommodate new sensors, change the sampling interval, enable or disable audible alarms, or rescale graphs.