NASA is set to launch a new pair of weather satellites from New Zealand. The satellites, called TROPICS, are part of a constellation of extreme weather observatories and will be launched by Rocket Lab. The CubeSats will be used to monitor the formation of sudden weather phenomena, such as hurricanes and cyclones, to improve forecasts and mitigate the impact of such events. Each satellite carries a high-performance radiometer monitor that scans across the satellite track at 30 revolutions per minute, providing a combination of horizontal resolution related to time while measuring environmental conditions in the cores of tropical cyclones on a nearly global scale. The launch is part of the Earth System Science Pathfinder Program and is part of the Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare.
