Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats

Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats
Mission type	Earth observation
Operator	NASA
Website	https://science.nasa.gov/missions/tropics
Spacecraft properties
Payload mass	CubeSats
Start of mission
Launch date	Early 2021[1]
Rocket	TBD
Orbital parameters
Regime	Low Earth Orbit
	Earth System Science Pathfinder[2]

NASA's Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission[3] is a constellation of small satellites that will measure temperature and moisture profiles and precipitation in tropical systems with unprecedented temporal frequency. This data will enable scientists to study the dynamic processes that occur in the inner core of the storm resulting in rapid genesis and intensification.[4] William Blackwell of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington is the principal investigator.[5]

The TROPICS CubeSats will get very frequent measurements, similar to X-rays, that cut through the overall cloud-cover to see the storm's underlying structure. The storm structures known as the eyewall – tall clouds, wind and rain around the eye – and rainbands – the rainy parts of the spiral arms – give us clues about whether a storm is primed to intensify into a category 4 or 5 storm, something everyone in their path needs to know.[6]

TROPICS will consist of 12 CubeSats, each about one foot long and weighing just 8.5 pounds, that use scanning microwave radiometers to measure temperature, humidity, precipitation and cloud properties. The CubeSats will be launched into three separate orbital planes to enable the overall constellation to monitor changes in tropical cyclones as frequently as every 21 minutes.[5] Each CubeSat will host a high-performance radiometer scanning across the satellite track at 30 RPM to provide temperature profiles using seven channels near the 118.75 GHz oxygen absorption line, water vapor profiles using 3 channels near the 183 GHz water vapor absorption line, imagery in a single channel near 90 GHz for precipitation measurements, and a single channel at 206 GHz for cloud ice measurements.[7]

The investigation was selected from NASA's third Earth Venture Instrument competition.[5][2]

Langley Research Center is the NASA Center leading the mission.[8]

Notes

Duran, Erika L.; Berndt, Emily (10 September 2019). Observations of the Axisymmetric Tropical Cyclone Diurnal Pulse using Synthetic Observations from the TROPICS NASA Earth Venture Mission (PDF). National Weather Association Annual Meeting. Huntsville, AL: NASA. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
"Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP)". NASA. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
"Mission Overview". Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission. NASA. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
"TROPICS". NASA Earth Science DISASTERS Program. NASA. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"NASA Selects Instruments to Study Air Pollution, Tropical Cyclones". NASA Earth. NASA. March 10, 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"Small Satellites for Earth Science". Goddard Media Studios. NASA Goddard. November 7, 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"Mission Overview". Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission. MIT Lincoln Labs. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
"ELV Payload Safety Missions in work" (PDF). TechDoc - NASA Technical Library Public Search Engine. NASA Kennedy. September 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.

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[1] Duran, Erika L.; Berndt, Emily (10 September 2019). Observations of the Axisymmetric Tropical Cyclone Diurnal Pulse using Synthetic Observations from the TROPICS NASA Earth Venture Mission (PDF). National Weather Association Annual Meeting. Huntsville, AL: NASA. Retrieved 8 October 2019.

[ESSP-2] "Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP)". NASA. Retrieved 13 October 2018.

[3] "Mission Overview". Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission. NASA. Retrieved 13 October 2018.

[4] "TROPICS". NASA Earth Science DISASTERS Program. NASA. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[NASA_Selection-5] "NASA Selects Instruments to Study Air Pollution, Tropical Cyclones". NASA Earth. NASA. March 10, 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[6] "Small Satellites for Earth Science". Goddard Media Studios. NASA Goddard. November 7, 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[7] "Mission Overview". Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission. MIT Lincoln Labs. Retrieved 13 October 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[ELV_Payload_Safety-8] "ELV Payload Safety Missions in work" (PDF). TechDoc - NASA Technical Library Public Search Engine. NASA Kennedy. September 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.