NASA to launch CYGNSS hurricane tracking constellation from the belly of Orbital ATK’s Pegasus aeroplane

By tech2 News Staff /  12 Dec 2016 , 14:56

NASA is launching a constellation of eight satellites to better monitor hurricanes. The Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) is a flock of eight micro-satellites, which which will improve weather forecasts for the intensity of cyclones. Although forecasts of hurricanes have improved by 50 percent since the 1990s, there has been little progress when it comes to correctly predicting their intensities.

A CYGNSS craft being prepared in a lab. Image: NASA

The CYGNSS constellation will scrutinise the regions beneath the eyewall, as well as the inner rainbands of hurricanes. Both measurements are possible for the first time from space because of the CYGNSS flock. Frank Peri, director of the Earth Systems Science Program Office (ESSPO), based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, says “This mission will help us get a better idea of the intensity of tropical cyclones.”

The launch for the CYGNSS constellation is not a regular rocket launch. Instead of being a passenger on board a rocket that lifts off a launchpad, the rocket with the payload will be launched in mid air from the belly of Orbital ATK’s Pegasus aircraft, at an altitude of 39,000 feet. The rocket will free fall for five seconds, before firing in the air, and re-orienting itself upwards towards space. Three stages of the rocket will fire and fall away, before the CYGNSS constellation is released into orbit. The Pegasus is the world’s first privately developed launch vehicle.

There is a 40 percent chance that the launch could be delayed because of bad weather. If that happens, the launch will be postponed by one day, with a 20 percent chance of disruption by bad weather. The launch coverage will begin Live on NASA TV and can be seen here from 5:30 PM, IST, today.

Gartner predicts that global IT spending will reach $3.5 trillion in 2017

Image Credit: REUTERS

  20 Oct 2016 , 17:06

Driven by growth in software and IT services revenue, worldwide IT spending is forecast to reach $3.5 trillion in 2017 — up 2.9 percent from 2016 estimated spending of $3.4 trillion, market research firm Gartner said on Wednesday. Software spending is projected to grow six percent in 2016. It will grow another 7.2 percent in 2017 to total $357 billion, the report said, adding that IT services spending is on pace to grow 3.9 percent in 2016 to reach $597 billion and increase 4.8 percent in 2017 to reach $943 billion.

While discussing the impact of Brexit on IT investment at the “Gartner Symposium/ITxpo” event here, John-David Lovelock, research vice president at Gartner, said that the immediate impact of Brexit has caused modest growth in IT spending to turn negative for 2016.

“Without the UK, global IT spending growth would have been modestly positive at 0.2 per cent in 2016, but with the UK included, IT spending is expected to decrease 0.3 per cent. The immediate impact of the British pound will also cause the IT spending patterns to shift as prices for IT will increase,” Lovelock added.

While talking about IT spending trends in the wake of the US presidential election, Lovelock said that there is a slight pause in IT spending leading into the election and then a relief in spending, subsequently.

IANS