NASA's latest satellites will help track hurricanes better: Here's how
What's the story
NASA has launched two small satellites into the low Earth orbit (LEO) which can help better monitor hurricanes.
The two storm-tracking satellites are a part of the TROPICS mission. The name is an acronym for Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats.
This mission will ultimately improve weather forecasting for tropical cyclones.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Climate change is on the rise. Scientists say hurricanes are getting more powerful as the ocean surface warms.
Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in 2022, killed dozens of people and caused damage accounting for over $100 billion, making it the world's most expensive weather disaster of the year.
It is thereby imperative to have a robust hurricane-monitoring system in place.
Launch
The satellites lifted off a launch center in New Zealand
The two shoe-boxed-sized satellites, called CubeSats, lifted off on a rocket from the launch complex in Mahia, New Zealand.
The TROPICS mission will ultimately form a constellation of four identical CubeSats which are designed to observe tropical cyclones.
These satellites will conduct observations every hour as opposed to current weather-tracking satellites, which monitor every six hours.
Constellation
The second pair of satellites will launch in 2 weeks
The second pair of CubeSats, which will complete the TROPICS satellite constellation, is expected to take off in about two weeks.
Originally, the TROPICS mission was planned to have a constellation of six satellites, instead of four.
However, the first two satellites were lost after a US Astra rocket went awry shortly after it took off in 2022.
Mission
What is the TROPICS mission about?
What makes the TROPICS mission stand apart is that the satellites are orbiting in a pattern similar to a constellation of stars.
"This constellation approach could change the way we study storms," said NASA in a tweet.
Equipped with high-performance microwave sounders, scientists hope the mission will provide insights into what causes the rapid changes in a storm's structure and its intensity.
Official website
The mission will serve as a model for future ventures
The TROPICS mission will "demonstrate that a constellation approach to Earth science can provide improved resolution, configurable coverage, flexibility, reliability, and launch access at extremely low cost, thereby serving as a model for future missions," according to the mission's official website.
From information on rainfall, temperature, and humidity, scientists can better forecast storms and take appropriate evacuation measures for people on coastal regions.
Information
These CubeSats will work in tandem with larger satellites
"We still need the large satellites," said Will McCarty, a NASA scientist. "What we get from this (TROPICS mission) is the ability to add more information to the flagship satellites that we already have," added McCarty.