#USA #NOAA #Golden #PlanetiQ #GNSS-RO

PlanetiQ Secures NOAA Contract for GNSS Radio Occultation Data

PlanetiQ, a renowned name in precision satellite data, has announced a notable achievement: a two-year contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) valued at up to $47.3 million. This contract is pivotal for providing Global Navigation Satellite System radio occultation (GNSS-RO) and Total Electron Content (TEC) data crucial for effective weather forecasting and space weather applications.

On September 21, 2026, NOAA confirmed this significant award under its Commercial Data Program, which aims to bolster the availability and quality of environmental data. The contract will ensure that PlanetiQ delivers a minimum of 4,200 GNSS-RO profiles daily, which includes 700 enhanced temporal resolution profiles and 500 low-latency TEC tracks each day, over a span of 24 months, starting from December 1, 2026.

Understanding GNSS-RO Data

GNSS-RO data plays an indispensable role in meteorology. It delivers exceptionally accurate vertical measurements of atmospheric parameters, which are used to derive temperature, pressure, and moisture profiles. Such detailed data significantly enhances the performance of numerical weather prediction models. The utilization of diverse observational profiles, especially from non-standard orbital paths, will elevate the frequency and accuracy of these measurements, particularly benefiting the tropics and subtropics.

Ira Scharf, CEO of PlanetiQ, expressed commitment to delivering high-precision data to NOAA, stating that this award underscores the value of GNSS-RO data in operational weather forecasting. The addition of temporal resolution enhancements marks a considerable upgrade to NOAA's observational capabilities, helping the organization meet its strategic objectives and enhance weather prediction accuracy.

Technical Innovations in the Award

The data cover a range of sun-synchronous orbits and lower-inclination, non-sun-synchronous orbits which are not typically captured within NOAA's existing operational window. By incorporating these elements, NOAA aims to improve the temporal distribution of observed data, which is crucial for accurate real-time weather analysis.

The contract is a significant step as it is NOAA's first two-year data acquisition under the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Program (ProTech) 2.0 Space-Based Environmental Monitoring contract, which has a ceiling value of $8 billion. This win emphasizes both NOAA's dedication to leveraging commercial innovation and PlanetiQ's leading position in providing cutting-edge satellite data services.

Future Prospects and Applications

The contractual engagement ensures that NOAA will have continual access to high-quality atmospheric observations critical for weather prediction, climate modeling, and various research initiatives. The GNSS-RO and TEC data will not only serve NOAA, but also be utilized by multiple international agencies such as NASA, U.S. Space Force, and the UK Met Office. These stakeholders rely heavily on accurate GNSS data for diverse operational and climatic studies.

PlanetiQ's strategic endeavors, initiated in 2015, emphasize the importance of reliable atmospheric monitoring as it supports critical sectors including government and defense. This innovative agreement to furnish NOAA with enhanced GNSS-RO data positions PlanetiQ at the forefront of commercial satellite-based environmental monitoring, ensuring improved preparedness and response capabilities to weather-related phenomena.

The new GNSS-RO contract not only signifies a major milestone for PlanetiQ but also underscores the crucial role commercial satellite data plays in enhancing earth sciences and safeguarding communities against the impacts of severe weather events.

In summary, PlanetiQ’s recent NOAA contract represents a strategic partnership that aims to leverage high-precision satellite data to improve weather forecasting capabilities, enhance climate research, and respond to operational needs both nationally and internationally.