RFID Personnel Locator Project For Safety

ELectronics and Instrumentation

... "The objective of the Pad Personnel Locator project is to design and develop a radio frequency (RF) transponder-based system using RF identification tags. There is a requirement to monitor the location of personnel within the launch pad perimeter after cryotanking begins during Shuttle countdown for launch. These personnel include the astronauts, closeout crew, ice team, and, if necessary, rescue personnel. Monitoring these personnel is currently performed using a combination of television camera monitoring and radio link verbal communication. In the event of an emergency at the launch pad, location of injured personnel could be difficult since smoke and deluge water could obscure the view of the television cameras. The ability to accurately determine the location of injured personnel would allow rescue crews to immediately reach the desired location, minimizing their own exposure to the hazardous conditions present at the launch pad. The approach selected to track and locate personnel as they move through the launch pads is based on the use of radio-frequency-activated identification (RFID) tags." ...