Cape canaveral: NASA has completed the assembly and testing of two small satellites for the INCUS mission, designed to study the dynamics of tropical convective storms, the agency announced. Work continues on a third satellite, with testing expected to be finished in the coming months ahead of a scheduled 2027 launch.

According to Oman News Agency, the three satellites will operate in precise coordination in low-Earth orbit, with a separation of up to 30 seconds between the first and second, and 90 seconds between the second and third, allowing them to track storm development during formation.

The mission aims to improve scientists' understanding of how tropical storms form and help determine their timing and location, boosting weather forecast accuracy and reducing the impact of extreme weather events. These storms produce more than half of the world's rainfall, despite posing significant risks to life and property.

The mission will use advanced radar and microwave sensing technologies to measure vertical air and water motion within storms, while also examining environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind speed and direction. This will support better forecasting models and deeper insight into storm development.

Mission components include radar systems developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, deployable mesh antennas, and a microwave radiometer on one satellite. All three will be transported to the launch site at a later stage before beginning their scientific mission in low-Earth orbit to monitor and document tropical storm evolution.