Just like hurricane airplane hunters track cyclones on Earth, CYGNSS does it from space. By taking 32 wind speed measurements every second, 24 hours a day, CYGNSS significantly improves the coverage of these extreme weather events.
As a constellation of 8 small satellites without any propulsion system, CYGNSS needs to be operated with passive techniques to control its trajectories. Such maneuvers are used to optimize the coverage of cyclones, and to avoid potential collisions with other objects in orbit.
SpOCK is used in the CYGNSS mission to predict the satellite trajectories and the locations of wind speed measurements. Using SpOCK, the CYGNSS team can forecast when CYGNSS measures winds in cyclones and analyze its orbits for maneuvering and collision avoidance purposes.