The first two miniature satellites in NASA's new hurricane-hunting "constellation" were launched from New Zealand May 8. About 33 minutes into the flight, the cubesats, founding members of the agency's TROPI NASA's new hurricane-hunting "constellation" were launched from New Zealand May 8. Ab CS network, deployed the 3.9-inch cubesats into low Earth orbit about 340 miles above Earth.
The TROPICS constellation ("Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats") will consist of four cubesats in orbit.
Two addition satellites will be launched within two weeks by Rocket Lab. (For the constellation to work, all four satellites must deploy within a 60-day period.)
The cubesats will measure the hour-by-hour formation and progression of tropical cyclones and hurricanes with enhanced specificity. "We'll be getting data that we've never had before," TROPICS principal investigator Bill Blackwell said.
"In complementing the larger weather satellites, we are also getting some new innovation as well in these tiny compact sizes," said Will McCarty with the TROPICS program at NASA's Earth Science Division. (Space.com 05/08/23) Rocket Lab launches 2 NASA satellites to study hurricanes like never before | Space
Background: A CubeSat is a class of miniaturized satellite based around a form factor consisting of 10 cm (3.9 in) cubes. CubeSats have a mass of no more than 2 kg (4.4 lbs) per unit, and often use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for their electronics and structure. CubeSats are put into orbit by deployers on the International Space Station or launched as secondary payloads on a launch vehicle.
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