NASA and Rocket Lab launch twin satellites to improve hurricane tracking.

NASA is set to launch a new mission called TROPICS, designed to improve hurricane forecasting just ahead of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season. The mission includes a constellation of CubeSats that will observe tropical cyclones from low-Earth orbit, making more frequent observations than current weather-monitoring satellites. The four satellites, each weighing 12 pounds and about the size of a loaf of bread, will capture hourly observations of the precipitation, temperature, and humidity of tropical storms. The data collected will be shared with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, the National Hurricane Center, and other partners.