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According to Nasa, the agency has awarded launch service task orders to Rocket Lab for both the Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer (PolSIR) and the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2 (TSIS-2) missions. These awards fall under the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract, which provides a framework for fixed-price launch services over a 10-year period with a maximum value of $300 million.
Advancing tropical weather and cloud research
The PolSIR mission is specifically designed to enhance the scientific community's understanding of high-altitude ice clouds in tropical and subtropical regions. The project will utilize two 16U CubeSats, each equipped with a specialized instrument capable of measuring specific electromagnetic radiation spectra. This data will allow researchers to track how ice content within these clouds fluctuates throughout the day and how those changes influence larger storm systems.
Key technical details regarding the PolSIR mission include:
- The spacecraft will be launched aboard two dedicated Electron rockets from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand.
- Launch operations are scheduled to occur no earlier than June 2027.
- The two CubeSats will maintain orbits separated by several hours to capture a full daily cycle of cloud ice changes.
- Data gathered from these satellites will directly contribute to more accurate weather predictions and climate modeling.
The PolSIR mission is led by Vanderbilt University in Nashville, with science operations managed by the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The physical spacecraft are currently being manufactured by Blue Canyon Technologies.
Monitoring solar energy input to Earth
Simultaneously, Rocket Lab will launch the TSIS-2 mission in early 2027 from the same New Zealand facility. This satellite is tasked with measuring the Sun’s total and spectral irradiance—the overall brightness of the Sun at the top of the atmosphere and how that energy is distributed across ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths. Unlike its predecessor, TSIS-1, which operates from the International Space Station, TSIS-2 will function as a free-flying spacecraft.
The TSIS-2 satellite features two primary instruments: the Total Irradiance Monitor and the Spectral Irradiance Monitor. These tools cover 96% of the energy in the solar spectrum, providing vital data for understanding ocean currents, seasonal shifts, and global weather patterns. Managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the mission includes hardware from General Atomics – Electromagnetic Systems and instruments provided by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
By leveraging Rocket Lab's smaller launch capabilities, NASA continues to diversify its orbital access while pursuing high-priority environmental science. These missions represent a significant step in utilizing dedicated small satellites to provide continuous monitoring of Earth's atmospheric and solar interactions.