An Earth Venture In-Space Technology Demonstration Mission for Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems (Tempest)

The Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems (TEMPEST) mission concept consists of a constellation of five identical 6U-Class nanosatellites observing at five millimeter-wave frequencies with five-minute temporal sampling to observe the time evolution of clouds and their transition to precipitation. The TEMPEST concept is intended to improve understanding of cloud processes, by providing critical information on the temporal development of cloud and precipitation microphysics and by improving our understanding of some of the largest sources of uncertainty in cloud process models. TEMPEST millimeter-wave radiometers are able to perform observations inside the cloud to observe changes as the cloud begins to precipitate or ice accumulates inside the storm. The TEMPEST Technology Demonstration (TEMPEST-D) mission is intended to reduce risk and demonstrate measurement capabilities for 6U-Class satellite constellations for Earth Science. The capabilities to be demonstrated include differential drag maneuvers to provide desired time separation in a 6U-Class satellites constellation. In addition, TEMPEST-D millimeter-wave radiometers will be cross-calibrated with space-borne radiometers with similar frequency channels. TEMPEST-D will provide radiometric observations at five millimeterwave frequencies from 89 to 183 GHz using a low-power, compact instrument that is highly suitable for deployment on 6U-Class satellites.