The mission, known as INCUS (Investigation of Convective Updrafts), will be the first dedicated space-based effort to examine the inner workings of tropical convective storms on a global scale. Scientists hope the project will provide new insights into how severe weather systems develop, ultimately improving weather forecasting and climate modelling.
According to NASA, two of the mission’s SmallSats have completed integration and testing, while work continues on the third spacecraft. Final testing is expected to be completed later this year before the satellites are prepared for launch.
The three satellites will fly in close formation in low-Earth orbit, allowing researchers to observe the rapid movement of air and water within developing storm systems. By collecting near-simultaneous measurements from multiple spacecraft, the mission will provide an unprecedented view of the processes that drive some of the world’s most powerful weather events.
Tropical convective storms play a critical role in Earth’s climate, producing more than half of the planet’s rainfall. However, they can also generate destructive weather, including intense rainfall, flooding, lightning and damaging winds. Scientists said a better understanding of these storms is essential for improving forecasts and reducing the impacts of extreme weather on communities.
The INCUS mission forms part of NASA’s broader Earth science program and will contribute to the agency’s efforts to better understand the complex interactions between the atmosphere, oceans and climate system.
Data gathered by the mission is expected to improve the representation of storm processes in both weather prediction and long-term climate models.
The mission will employ three coordinated satellites equipped with specialised instruments designed to measure the vertical transport of air and moisture within storm systems. Researchers believe these observations will help answer longstanding questions about when, where and why tropical storms intensify.
With testing progressing as planned, NASA remains on track for a 2027 launch, marking another step forward in the use of small satellite technology to address some of Earth’s most challenging weather and climate questions.
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