TROPICS

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

active Mission

TROPICS is a constellation of four identical CubeSats designed to observe tropical cyclones in a unique, inclined low Earth orbit over Earth’s tropics – an orbit that allows them to travel over any given storm about once an hour.

Type

SmallSat

Launch

May 25, 2023

Location

Earth orbit

Objective

Improve forecasting for hurricanes and typhoons

TROPICS Stories

Explore All TROPICS Stories

Article

5 min read

NASA’s TROPICS Offers Multiple Views of Intensifying Hurricanes

News Release

min read

NASA Awards Launch Services Task Order for TROPICS CubeSats Mission

5 min read

NASA’s TROPICS Offers Multiple Views of Intensifying Hurricanes

Article1 year ago

min read

NASA Awards Launch Services Task Order for TROPICS CubeSats Mission

News Release

6 min read

Pathfinder Satellite Paves Way for Constellation of Tropical-storm Observers

Article3 years ago

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

James Webb Space Telescope

The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

Perseverance Rover

Parker Solar Probe

Juno