PlanetiQ will compete under the SBEM program to provide NOAA with GNSS-RO observations for atmospheric profiling and ionospheric monitoring, plus thermospheric neutral density data to support satellite orbit prediction.

NOAA is expanding its use of commercial environmental satellite data through the Commercial Data Program, contracting with providers under SBEM."

PlanetiQ will leverage its existing satellite constellation and additional launches this year to deliver GNSS-RO data and introduce thermospheric neutral density data as a new commercial product for NOAA NESDIS.

A broad slate of partner companies spans Spire Global, PlanetiQ, Tomorrow.io, Muon Space, The Tomorrow Companies, Ethereal Space, Precursor SPC, Hydrosat, Tropical Weather Analytics, BAE Systems, Orbital Micro Systems, ICEYE US, Umbra Lab, SpaceX and others, with data categories evolving.

The program defines seven data categories, including GNSS-RO for atmosphere and ionospheric space weather, GNSS-R for land/ocean observations, microwave sounders for atmospheric temperature and moisture, multispectral imagery for weather and wildfire applications, thermospheric neutral density for orbit prediction, active SAR/RADAR-type sensors, and infrared sounders for vertical profiles (with infrared vendors not yet identified).

The SBEM IDIQ contract covers a five-year base period plus a five-year option, effective from early September 2026 through August 2036.

The contract includes 14 initial industry partners across seven data categories and is executed under NOAA’s NESDIS Commercial Data Program.

The contracted data will feed NOAA’s operational prediction models and research, benefiting interagency partners, academia, and other scientific bodies.

The Space-Based Environmental Monitoring IDIQ contract, under NOAA’s ProTech 2.0 program, carries an $8 billion shared ceiling to procure weather, ocean, fisheries, and satellite-operation services.

The program emphasizes flexibility to add new data categories and vendors as requirements evolve, aiming to directly enhance national weather and space weather forecasting for NOAA and global partners.

Congress authorized NOAA’s Commercial Data Program through the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act and the PROMOTE Act, with funding from appropriations to procure commercial weather and space weather data.

PlanetiQ CEO notes the initiative expands NOAA data applications from high-resolution atmospheric observations to thermospheric data for orbit prediction and space-weather use.