TROPICS Spacecraft

Provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements over the tropics for weather prediction.

Provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements (21 minutes for the baseline mission, 31 minutes for the threshold mission) over the tropics that can be used to observe the thermodynamics of the troposphere and precipitation structure for storm systems at the mesoscale and synoptic scale over the entire storm lifecycle.

Radiometer scanning across the satellite track at 30 RPM to provide temperature profiles using 7 channels near 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.

The antenna listens in at 12 microwave channels between 90 to 205 gigahertz, where the relevant emission signals are strongest. These channels capture signals at different heights throughout the lowest layer of the atmosphere, or troposphere, where most weather we experience occurs.

As of August 2023, the satellites have been undergoing tests of their main instruments, microwave radiometers to collect temperature and humidity data on tropical storms.

In addition to the high frequency of observations, the TROPICS satellites provide high-quality data. Blackwell said the precipitation rain rate estimate derived from TROPICS Pathfinder data is better than state-of-the-art instruments on much larger spacecraft.

Within four weeks of receiving MIT LL’s purchase order, ATLAS had completed spacecraft integration and TROPICS was declared operational on ATLAS’ Global Federated Network—a process that typically takes ground segment providers several months or more to perform.

• PLATFORM - Blue Canyon