
Mission Status
Rocket Like A Hurricane
Last Updated: 59 minutes ago
SUCCESS
Orbit Achieved
Vehicle
Electron
Launch Site
LC-1B
Orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Profile
Earth Science
Monday, May 8, 2023 01:00 AM UTC Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Source: RocketLabCorp
Mission State
Schedule
Date and time on file
This mission currently has a dated launch window in the tracker.
Coverage
Official livestream linked
The primary watch link points to an official Rocket Lab source.
Name Origin
AI
Pun on the Scorpions' 1984 anthem "Rock You Like A Hurricane" — "Rock" replaced by "Rocket." Doubly fitting: NASA's TROPICS satellites monitor real hurricane formation.
"Rocket Like A Hurricane"
Mission Overview
Third and fourth operational (TROPICS-04 & TROPICS-05) satellites for NASA's Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation Structure and Storm Intensity with a Constellation of SmallSats (TROPICS) mission. The CubeSats are designed to provide rapid-refresh microwave measurements that can be used to determine temperature, pressure, and humidity inside hurricanes as they form and evolve.
Technical Details
Vehicle
Electron
Rocket Lab launch vehicle
Launch Site
Launch Complex 1B
LC-1B · Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
Target Orbit
Low Earth Orbit
Planned deployment regime
Mission Profile
Earth Science
Mission architecture
Payload Mass
10 kg