Field mill

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Field Mill installation at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Field Mill installation at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Field mill is a specialized instrument used for measuring the strength of electrical fields in the atmosphere near thunderstorm clouds. They are used in the launch criteria for the Space Shuttle to avoid lightning strikes.

The "mill" is a typical rotating shutter design in the instrument. It is usually deployed airborne and flown through anvil head clouds to make measurements.

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