NASA - TROPICS Pathfinder Mission patch.
June 13, 2022
Astra Rocket 3.3 carrying TROPICS-1 liftoff
Astra Space’s Rocket 3.3 launch vehicle (LV0010) launched NASA’s TROPICS-1 mission, two TROPICS 3U CubeSats, from Space Launch Complex 46 (SLC-46), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 12 June 2022, at 16:43 UTC (12:43 EDT).
Astra Rocket 3.3 launches TROPICS-1
According to NASA, “The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission will provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements 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.”
Update on NASA's TROPICS-1 Mission
While we are disappointed in the loss of the two TROPICS CubeSats, the mission is part of NASA’s Earth venture program, which provides opportunities for lower-cost, higher risk missions. Despite a loss of the first two of six satellites, the TROPICS constellation will still meet its science objectives with the four remaining CubeSats distributed in two orbits. With four satellites, TROPICS will still provide improved time-resolved observations of tropical cyclones compared to traditional observing methods.
TROPICS satellite
TROPICS is an Earth venture mission - science-driven, competitively selected, low-cost missions that provide opportunity for investment in innovative Earth science to enhance our capability to better understand the current state of the Earth system and to enable continual improvement in the prediction of future changes.
As the agency works with emerging launch providers for cost-effective launch capabilities to space, these types of missions are important to expand our scientific knowledge while fostering the U.S. commercial launch industry.
As a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) licensed mission, the FAA and Astra will lead the investigation to understand what happened during the TROPICS-1 launch. NASA will lend any expertise needed but would expect to pause the launch effort with Astra while an investigation is being conducted to ensure we move forward when ready.
NASA’s Launch Services Program, which is managing the launch service for the mission, continues to work with emerging launch providers to deliver low-cost science missions into orbit with contracts that align with commercial practices, using less NASA oversight to achieve lower launch costs. Small satellites and Class D payloads tolerate relatively high risk and serve as an ideal platform for technical and architecture innovation, contributing to NASA’s science research and technology development.
Thanks to the transparency displayed by Astra, NASA has been involved with the investigation on Astra’s previous launch. Additionally, we have been engaged in the discussions about lessons learned and corrective actions. We recognize the risks inherent in a new launch provider and will lend our assistance as needed.
Related links:
Astra Space: https://astra.com/
NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/
Images, Video, Text, Credits: Footage provided by NASASpaceflight LLC and Astra Space Inc./NASA/Tylar Greene/SciNews/Gunter's Space Page/Orbiter.ch Aerospace/Roland Berga.
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