Phys.org July 1, 2021 To bring more data to forecasters and have a more consistent watch over Earth’s tropical belt where these storms form, NASA has launched a test satellite (pathfinder) ahead of a constellation of six weather satellites called TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) planned for launch in 2022. The TROPICS satellites will work together to provide near-hourly microwave observations of a storm’s precipitation, temperature, and humidity—a revisit time for these measurements not currently possible with other satellites. The new constellation will provide high frequency temperature and humidity soundings as […]
Tag Archives: Satellite constellation
Satellite constellations harvest energy for near-total global coverage
Science Daily January 10, 2020 A team of researchers in the US (Industry, UC Davis, Cornell University) has discovered two alternative 4-satellite constellations with 24- and 48-hour periods, both of which attain nearly continuous global coverage. They harness energy from nonlinear orbital perturbation forces (e.g., Earth’s geopotential, gravitational effects of the sun and moon, and solar radiation pressure) to reduce their propellant and maintenance costs. The 24-hour period constellation reduces the overall required vehicle mass budget for propellant by approximately 60% compared to a geostationary Earth orbit constellation with similar coverage over typical satellite lifetimes. The discovery could drive advances […]