NASA awards PlanetiQ $3.3 million for precipitation and space weather data

Overview

Updated Oct 25

NASA has agreed to buy precipitation and space weather data from PlanetiQ, a Golden, Colorado company, in a $3.3 million task order. The data comes from polarimetric radio occultation, a technique that reads how navigation satellite signals split as they pass through rain and snow.

PlanetiQ launched two satellites in October, GNOMES-10 on October 1 and GNOMES-11 on October 20, and said the pair brings it close to 20,000 radio occultation profiles a day. NOAA's own two-year order, worth up to $47.3 million, starts delivering data on December 1.

Why it matters

Government weather agencies are shifting from building satellites to buying data, and PlanetiQ's new technique could improve precipitation forecasting worldwide.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

$3.3M

NASA task order value

For GNSS-PRO and ionospheric TEC data through the Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition program.

Up to $47.3M

NOAA contract max value

Two-year task order, $28.4M minimum guarantee for 4,200 GNSS-RO profiles and 500 TEC tracks daily.

4,200

GNSS-RO profiles per day

Under the NOAA contract, of which 700 have temporal resolution enhancements.

500

TEC tracks per day

Low-latency ionospheric measurements under the NOAA contract.

~20,000

Daily profile capacity

Profiles per day PlanetiQ says it is approaching after the GNOMES-10 and GNOMES-11 launches.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

E. Robert Kursinski

Chief Scientist at PlanetiQ

Leading the company's GNSS-PRO data development

Organizations Involved

PlanetiQ

Commercial satellite data company

Launched two satellites in October and said the additions bring it close to 20,000 radio occultation profiles a day

Provides GNSS radio occultation data for weather forecasting and space weather monitoring.

NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program

Federal procurement program

Buyer of commercial satellite data for Earth science research

NASA's program for purchasing commercial satellite data to support Earth science research.

NOAA NESDIS Commercial Data Program

Federal procurement program

Buyer of commercial radio occultation data for operational weather forecasting

NOAA's program for purchasing commercial environmental data to enhance weather forecasts.

Timeline

January 2026 October 2026

8 events Latest: October 20th, 2026 · 3 weeks ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

October 2026
PlanetiQ launches GNOMES-11 into a mid-inclination orbit
Latest Launch

GNOMES-11 lifted off on SpaceX's Bandwagon-5 from Kennedy Space Center and made contact with ground stations. Its lower-inclination, non-sun-synchronous orbit adds sampling over the tropics and subtropics.
October 20th, 2026
NASA awards $3.3 million task order for GNSS-PRO and TEC data
Contract

NASA's CSDA program awarded PlanetiQ a $3.3 million task order for polarimetric radio occultation and ionospheric TEC data, providing researchers with high-SNR observations of precipitation and the ionosphere.
October 6th, 2026
PlanetiQ launches GNOMES-10 with its fourth-generation Pyxis receiver
Launch

The satellite launched aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 from Vandenberg Space Force Base and began commissioning, the first of two PlanetiQ launches in October.
October 1st, 2026
September 2026
PlanetiQ Announces NOAA Contract Value Up to $47.3 Million
Contract

PlanetiQ disclosed the maximum potential value of its NOAA task order, including surge options, alongside the $28.4M minimum guarantee for 4,200 GNSS-RO profiles and 500 TEC tracks daily.
September 24th, 2026
NOAA awards PlanetiQ $28.4 million for radio occultation and TEC data
Contract

NOAA's Commercial Data Program awarded $67 million total to PlanetiQ, Spire Global, and Ethereal for 10,000 RO profiles and 500 TEC measurements per day. PlanetiQ's share: 4,200 profiles and 500 TEC tracks daily.
September 18th, 2026
PlanetiQ Selected for NOAA SBEM IDIQ Contract
Contract

PlanetiQ was named an industry partner under NOAA's Space-Based Environmental Monitoring indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, eligible to bid for future data task orders.
September 11th, 2026
June 2026
NASA expands PlanetiQ contract to add polarimetric radio occultation data
Contract

NASA's CSDA program added high-SNR GNSS polarimetric radio occultation data to PlanetiQ's existing offerings of ionospheric scintillation, TEC, and GNSS-RO data.
June 24th, 2026
January 2026
NASA CSDA rates PlanetiQ's radio occultation data 'best-in-class'
Evaluation

A one-year independent NASA evaluation rated PlanetiQ's total electron content precision 'best-in-class' and called its high signal-to-noise ratio a 'unique value proposition.'
January 27th, 2026

Scenarios

PlanetiQ's PRO data enters operational weather models

Possible Resolves by End of 2028

Discussed by: NOAA NESDIS, NASA CSDA

If the polarimetric radio occultation data proves valuable in research, NOAA could begin assimilating it into operational numerical weather prediction models. This would validate the technique and expand PlanetiQ's market beyond research. NOAA already uses standard GNSS-RO data in its models; PRO data would add precipitation information those models currently lack.

PlanetiQ wins expanded government contracts

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: NASA CSDA, NOAA CDP

Given the 'best-in-class' rating and the expanding NOAA contract, PlanetiQ could win additional or larger contracts as the PRO capability matures and more satellites come online. The company's data already fills coverage gaps where COSMIC-2 observations are unavailable, and NASA noted its data supports national security missions.

Rivals match PlanetiQ's polarimetric RO capability

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: NASA CSDA evaluation, industry observers

Spire Global and Ethereal also won NOAA contracts in September. If either develops polarimetric radio occultation capability, PlanetiQ's competitive edge narrows. NASA's evaluation noted PlanetiQ's data outperformed 'commercial competitor datasets,' but that advantage depends on being the only provider of PRO data.

NOAA exercises surge options and pays PlanetiQ the full $47.3 million

Possible Resolves by Dec 1, 2028

Discussed by: PlanetiQ, NOAA Commercial Data Program

NOAA's two-year order guarantees $28.4 million and can rise to $47.3 million if the agency buys more data than the base amount. Delivery runs through December 2028, so the extra money depends on NOAA ordering additional profiles as PlanetiQ's constellation grows.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2006

COSMIC/FORMOSAT-3 (2006)

The Taiwan-US COSMIC mission launched six satellites with GNSS radio occultation receivers, the first operational constellation of its kind. The satellites measured how navigation signals bend through the atmosphere, producing temperature and moisture profiles used in weather models worldwide.

Then

The data improved hurricane track forecasts and global weather prediction within months of launch.

Now

COSMIC proved radio occultation's value and set the standard for the technique commercial providers now use.

Why this matters now

COSMIC demonstrated the scientific value of the data PlanetiQ now sells commercially.

2019

COSMIC-2/FORMOSAT-7 (2019)

The follow-on COSMIC-2 mission launched six satellites focused on low-latitude coverage, providing more frequent observations of tropical weather and the ionosphere.

Then

Expanded radio occultation coverage over the tropics, improving hurricane and space weather monitoring.

Now

Showed coverage gaps that commercial providers like PlanetiQ now fill.

Why this matters now

NASA's evaluation noted PlanetiQ's data fills gaps where COSMIC-2 observations are unavailable.