Spire Global has been awarded a US$3.8m contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide radio occultation (RO) data for one year.
Radio occultation data
This one-year period will run from September 18, 2024, to September 18, 2025. The award is part of an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a US$59m ceiling for NOAA’s Commercial Weather Data Program’s Radio Occultation Data Buy II.
Spire Global’s near-real-time RO data consists of vertical profiles of atmospheric measurements, including pressure, humidity and temperature, that can reach all points of the globe. The data will be used for NOAA’s operational weather forecasts, space weather models and climate research, among other applications.
Weather prediction satellites
“From the ultimate vantage point of space, our satellites are able to provide unique data sets to improve weather prediction, contribute to climate research and, ultimately, protect lives and prevent the loss of property,” said Mike Eilts, general manager of weather and climate at Spire Global. “Our continued work with NOAA speaks to the power of government partnership with the commercial satellite industry to improve weather forecasting.”
In related news, Spire Global recently agreed to provide a financial firm with its High-Resolution Weather Forecast model, which offers a six-day outlook powered by proprietary data collected from space, and develop an AI-powered model for long-range forecasting. Click here to read the full story.