In an effort to accurately predict the paths of hurricanes – and the havoc they can wreak – NASA is currently creating a flock of eight microsatellites that, when launched into space, will generate measurements to aid scientists in forecasting the severity of these tropical storms.

Based out of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas and co-helmed by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, NASA's Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) mission aims to have these satellites – a mix of CYGNSS and more standard GPS satellites – measure ocean surface winds near and/or in the eye of tropical cyclones, hurricanes and typhoons, and transmit them back to Earth. Subsequently, this data would enable meteorologists and scientists in related fields to more accurately estimate storm intensity, storm track and possible storm surges.

In the wake of catastrophic, unmitigated hurricanes like Katrina – which ravaged the islands of the Bahamas and the coastlines of Louisiana and Mississippi (not to mention almost eradicating New Orleans) back in 2005 – CYGNSS would essentially curtail the devastating fallout from lack of preparedness by collecting helpful data.

CYGNSS passed two major reviews performed by NASA this summer, making the vision of the research team behind the project all the more realistic.

"These reviews were a major milestone for CYGNSS, marking the end of the detailed design and planning stages of the mission and the beginning of flight hardware assembly," said Chris Ruf, the University of Michigan's lead CYGNSS investigator, in a press release posted on NASA's site. "We are now in the last phase of the mission prior to launch and the beginning of a new era in hurricane observations." 

The construction of the first satellite began on August 14, and the assemblage of the seven remaining satellites will begin within the next few weeks. 

As of now, the planned launch dates for the satellite flock is set for late 2016.

Via: Engadget