Spire Global Wins NOAA Deal to Deliver Satellite Weather Data

Spire Global announced that it has received an over $8 million award from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to provide commercially available space-based radio occultation data for use in operational weather forecasts. The award, which represents the single largest U.S. government purchase of commercial, operational RO data, was awarded as part of indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity Delivery Order 4, Spire Global said Friday.

Kamal Arafeh, senior vice president of sales at Spire, said the award is the culmination of years of hard work to develop, manufacture and operate a constellation of satellites that “leverage the powerful vantage point of space to improve life on Earth.” He added that the award constitutes an important step taken by NOAA to protect American citizens through continued investment in weather forecasting.

It was emphasized that the award is the next milestone in NOAA’s goal to expand the purchase of commercial RO data. It is expected to result in the delivery of valuable operational RO data leading to better weather forecasting.

NOAA, a scientific and regulatory agency within the Department of Commerce, recently announced that commercially sourced data was about one-quarter to one-half the cost of government-sponsored missions. The Commercial Weather Data Pilot and Commercial Data Purchase programs are taking concrete steps to support the development of commercial markets for space-based weather data, NOAA said on its website.

The National Space Policy directs agencies to purchase and use U.S. commercial space capabilities and services, to “the maximum practical extent,” when such capabilities and services meet government requirements. This effort is being taken to promote a robust domestic commercial space industry and strengthen the U.S.’ position as the country of choice for conducting commercial space activities, NOAA added.