Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) will help NASA send four small satellites to low-Earth orbit for a storm observation initiative via two Electron launch missions under the Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare contract vehicle.
The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats mission could launch no earlier than May 1, 2023, ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season to support storm modeling and prediction efforts, the agency said Wednesday.
NASA intends for the TROPICS constellation to collect data on the formation and evolution of tropical cyclones, storm intensity and the vertical and horizontal structures of storm temperature and humidity.
Long Beach, California-based Rocket Lab is one of the 13 companies holding spots on the five-year, $300 million VADR indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract awarded in January to provide Federal Aviation Administration-licensed payload launch services to the space agency.
