TROPICS [MIT]
TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) is a constellation of seven identical 3U CubeSats provide sounding with 30-minute median revisit rate.
Each TROPICS CubeSat, based on the MicroMAS and MicroMAS 2a, 2b satellites, is a dual-spinning 3U CubeSat equipped with a 12-channel passive microwave spectrometer providing imagery near 90 and 206 GHz, temperature sounding near 118 GHz, and moisture sounding near 183 GHz. Each CubeSat comprises a 2U spacecraft bus with ADCS, avionics, power, and communications, and a 1U spinning passive radiometer payload with highly integrated, compact microwave receiver electronics. Initially, a constellation of twelve satellites was planned, but it has been reduced to seven.
The science objectives of the mission are:
This observing system offers an unprecedented combination of horizontal and temporal resolution to measure environmental and inner-core conditions for tropical cyclones (TCs) on a nearly global scale and is a profound leap forward in the temporal resolution of several key parameters needed for detailed study of high-impact meteorological events (TCs being the primary emphasis in this proposal). TROPICS will demonstrate that a constellation approach to earth Science can provide improved resolution, configurable coverage (tropics, near global, or global), flexibility, reliability, and launch access at extremely low cost, thereby serving as a model for future missions.
The TROPICS constellation will be formulated with four CubeSats in each of three orbital planes with the following launch parameters: equally spaced RAAN (±30° tolerance), 600 km altitude (550±50 km tolerance), 30° inclination (±3° tolerance). These mission parameters will meet science requirements should the threshold number of CubeSats (eight) be implemented. Analyses have shown orbit lifetime of 9 years, well over the expected mission lifetime of one year and well in advance of the 25-year de-orbit requirement. This configuration yields 30-minute median revisit rates with average spatial resolution better than precipitation and all-weather temperature and humidity (PATH) requirements, all from a low-cost, low-risk CubeSat constellation platform.
Blue Canyon Technologies received a contract to build seven identical XACT-based 3U-class CubeSats. One was launched as a pathfinder for checkout and optimization of all mission elements prior to the primary six satellite constellation.
Nation: | USA |
---|---|
Type / Application: | Earth observation, technology |
Operator: | Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Space Systems Laboratory (MIT SSL) |
Contractors: | Blue Canyon Technologies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Space Systems Laboratory (MIT SSL) |
Equipment: | 12 channel passive microwave radiometer |
Configuration: | CubeSat (3U) |
Propulsion: | None |
Power: | Deployable solar array, batteries |
Lifetime: | 1 year (planned) |
Mass: | 5.3 kg |
Orbit: | 524 km × 536 km, 97.51° (#1); 600 km × 600 km, 30° (#2-7) |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TROPICS 01 (TROPICS Pathfinder) | 2021-059Y | 30.06.2021 | CC SLC-40 | Falcon-9 v1.2 (Block 5) | with Starlink v1.5 R1-1, ..., R1-3, Umbra-SAR 2001, YAM 2, YAM 3, ÑuSat 19, ..., 22, ICEYE X11, X12, X13, X15, TUBIN, Mandrake 2A, 2B, Capella 5, GNOMES 2, LINCS 1, 2, PACE 1, D2/AtlaCom 1, EG 3, Centauri 4, Lemur-2 140, ..., 145, SpaceBEE 88, ..., 111, SpaceBEENZ 7, ..., 10, Sherpa-FX 2, Lynk 06, Hawk 3A, 3B, 3C, Astrocast 0201, ..., 0205, Painani 2, Sherpa-LTE 1, Tenzing, Aurora, ARTHUR 1, Faraday Phoenix, KSF 1A, ..., 1D, Tiger 2, ION-SCV 003, NAPA 2, Spartan, Neptuno, W-Cube, Ghalib, QMR-KWT | |
TROPICS 02 | 2022-F03 | 12.06.2022 | CC SLC-46 | F | Astra Rocket-3.3 | with TROPICS 04 |
TROPICS 03 | 2023-073B | 26.05.2023 | OnS LC-1B | Electron KS | with TROPICS 07 | |
TROPICS 04 | 2022-F03 | 12.06.2022 | CC SLC-46 | F | Astra Rocket-3.3 | with TROPICS 02 |
TROPICS 05 | 2023-062A | 08.05.2023 | OnS LC-1B | Electron KS | with TROPICS 06 | |
TROPICS 06 | 2023-062C | 08.05.2023 | OnS LC-1B | Electron KS | with TROPICS 05 | |
TROPICS 07 | 2023-073C | 26.05.2023 | OnS LC-1B | Electron KS | with TROPICS 03 |