Satellites will be chasing cyclones

IN THE SIGHTS: NASA’s TROPICS is a mission to study tropical cyclones, such as Hurricane Ian, pictured here as captured by the MODIS instrument on NASA’s Terra on Sept. 27, 2022. Picture by NASA

NASA and Rocket Lab are targeting a May Day launch for a new cyclone-hunting mission.

A launch window for the mission, which takes place from Rocket Lab’s Mahia spaceport, opens at 1pm on  Monday (May 1) and will launch two storm-tracking CubeSats into orbit.

Nasa’s TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) mission has a two-hour launch window from Launch Complex 1 Pad B in Māhia.

TROPICS is a constellation of four identical CubeSats designed to observe tropical cyclones from low Earth orbit, making observations more frequently than current weather tracking satellites. Both payloads, each carrying a pair of CubeSats, will launch on a Rocket Lab Electron rocket.

A second launch from Rocket Lab with two additional CubeSats is targeted for Tuesday, May 16. with exact launch times contingent on the date and time of the first launch.

“TROPICS will study tropical cyclones as part of Nasa’s Earth System Science Pathfinder Program and should increase understanding of the processes driving rapid changes in storm structure and integrity,” Nasa said in a statement.

“Nasa plans to have the CubeSats distributed evenly in two low Earth orbital planes about 550 kms above the Earth’s surface. TROPICS has the potential to provide roughly hourly observations of a storm’s precipitation, temperature, and humidity, compared to about every six hours with current satellites.

“Gathering data more frequently can help scientists improve weather forecasting models.”

Speaking to The Gisborne Herald, Rocket Lab senior communications director Morgan Bailey said hurricanes and cyclones had devastating effects for millions of people worldwide — just as we’ve seen here with Cyclone Gabrielle.

“These four small satellites, each the size of a load of bread, aim to provide real-time data about tropical storm formation and intensity to provide earlier warnings to people on the ground, ultimately helping to protect lives and livelihoods.

“Space has a really important role to play in helping to monitor climate change and equip people with the information to better protect against its devastating impacts. We’re immensely proud to be supporting such a critical mission that will have a positive impact on people worldwide.”