Tropical cyclones pose a significant threat to life, property, and economies worldwide. Researchers have long relied on remote observations from space-based platforms to study these storms, improve forecasts, predict landfall, and enhance our understanding of storm dynamics and precipitation evolution.

The tropical cyclone community has utilized data from Earth observing platforms for over three decades. However, the lack of instruments in low-inclination orbits providing frequent views in tropical regions has been a significant limitation, particularly in areas where storms develop and intensify.

The NASA Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) mission emerged from the Precipitation and All-weather Temperature and Humidity (PATH) initiative. TROPICS aims to provide three-dimensional temperature and humidity measurements, precipitation data, and rapid revisits with a temporal rate of one hour or better. By utilizing multiple small satellites in a carefully designed formation, TROPICS can capture detailed measurements of precipitation structure, temperature, and humidity profiles both within and outside of storms, improving weather prediction models.

The data collected by TROPICS focuses on inner storm structure, temperature soundings, and moisture soundings, offering high-resolution images of tropical cyclones throughout their lifecycle. The mission has been successful in providing valuable insights into tropical cyclones and enhancing our ability to predict and understand these powerful storms.

From a single Pathfinder satellite to a constellation of four satellites, TROPICS has made significant progress in collecting critical data to better understand tropical cyclones. The constellation data has been instrumental in evaluating storm structure, warm core development, and ice water path within storms, providing essential information for forecasting and research purposes.

Collaborations with operational weather forecasters have further enhanced the application of TROPICS data. The TROPICS Early Adopters program connected the application team with stakeholders interested in utilizing TROPICS data for research and forecasting, leading to improved approaches in diagnosing and predicting tropical cyclones.

The TROPICS mission has proven to be a valuable resource for the tropical cyclone community, offering detailed insights into storm development, intensification, and structure. The data collected by TROPICS has already contributed to hurricane track forecasting and will continue to play a crucial role in improving our understanding and prediction of tropical cyclones globally.