The contract will support the US scientific agency in profiling atmospheric temperatures and related quantities for weather models
Spire’s data contract will run until 18 January 2023. (Credit: Pete Linforth from Pixabay)
Space-based data and analytics provider Spire Global has secured a contract from the National Oceanographic and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) to provide satellite weather data.
Under the contract valued at $8m, the company will be responsible for the delivery of commercially available space-based radio occultation (RO) data for use in operational weather forecasts.
The contract marks an important step in NOAA’s target to expand the purchase of commercial RO data, as the number of RO profiles delivered to NOAA by Spire increases from 3,000 to 5,500.
Through a constellation of more than 100 satellites, Spire collects RO profiles.
Spire is expected to start the delivery of data to NOAA from 16 March 2022, supporting the US scientific agency in profiling atmospheric temperatures and related quantities for weather models.
Spire sales senior vice president Kamal Arafeh said: “With a continual increase in extreme weather patterns, the U.S. has taken the important step to protect its citizens by continually investing and upgrading its weather forecast capabilities.
“This award is the culmination of years of our team’s hard work to develop, manufacture and operate a constellation of satellites that leverage the powerful vantage point of space to improve life on Earth.
“We are honoured to further our partnership with NOAA on their important work in addressing one of humanity’s greatest challenges amid climate change – accurate weather forecasting.”
Spire’s data contract, which will run until 18 January 2023, is expected to allow increased information sharing for critical weather data.
The data will be made available to near-real-time to national and international meteorological organisations and the broader US federal government.
With offices in San Francisco, Boulder, Washington DC, Cambridge, Ontario, Glasgow, Luxembourg, and Singapore, Spire provides space services that allow access to datasets and insights about Earth.
Recently, California-based Stratolaunch has chosen Spire’s weather solutions for accurate forecast modelling 24km above the earth’s surface at its hypersonic flight launch site.