Rocket Lab launch of 2 NASA weather satellites from New Zealand postponed by weather

May 21 (UPI) -- Rocket Lab has postponed launching two NASA weather satellites from New Zealand until 1 a.m. EDT Tuesday because of unfavorable weather conditions, the space agency announced.

The pair of storm-tracking CubeSats "remain healthy and ready for launch" aboard an Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia," NASA said. The launch had been planned for 1:30 a.m. Monday.

Coverage, if the launch is a go, will be provided on NASA Television, the NASA app and Rocket Lab's website, beginning about 12:40 a.m. EDT Tuesday, the space agency said.

NASA said Rocket Lab will continue to "assess the weather as it evolves."

The launch is the second of two planned missions, with each sending two shoebox-sized satellites into law-Earth orbit to observe hurricanes and typhoons.

The program is called TROPICS, for Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats.

The tiny satellites are to provide data on temperature, precipitation, water vapor and clouds to help scientists and forecasters understand the nature of severe storms, hopefully leading them to better modeling procedures, as well as prediction, NASA said.