SCIENCE · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
NOAA Awards Radio‑Occultation Contracts to Spire Global and PlanetiQ
WHY IT MATTERS
By integrating advanced radio‑occultation data, NOAA can refine weather and space‑weather forecasts, leading to safer operations and more reliable climate monitoring.
What happened
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that it has awarded contracts to Spire Global and PlanetiQ to deliver radio‑occultation data for terrestrial and space weather forecasting.
Radio occultation, which measures atmospheric properties by tracking the bending of radio signals as they pass through the atmosphere, provides high‑resolution data that can improve the accuracy of weather models and space‑weather predictions.
The contracts will enable NOAA to enhance its forecasting capabilities and support better decision‑making for aviation, maritime, and emergency services.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Spire and PlanetiQ win NOAA radio-occultation contracts
SpaceNews · Debra Werner · Discovery only; publisher copyright terms apply