NOAA EXTENDS SPIRE HYMS DATA CONTRACT FOR ATMOSPHERIC PROFILING
NOAA has awarded Spire Global a $3 million contract extension to evaluate hyperspectral microwave sounding data for enhanced weather forecasting and numerical prediction models.
DATA ACQUISITION REPORT
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has finalized a $3 million contract extension with Spire Global to continue the evaluation of Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder (HyMS) data. According to SpaceNews, this six-month agreement focuses on assessing how high-resolution orbital telemetry can refine numerical weather prediction (NWP) models.
TECHNICAL UPGRADE
Legacy broadband microwave sensors often lack the vertical resolution required to capture granular atmospheric transitions. Spire’s HyMS technology addresses this deficit by monitoring over 2,000 sensing channels. This hyperspectral approach allows for high-vertical-resolution atmospheric profiling while maintaining operational resilience against radio frequency interference.
MISSION SCOPE
The HyMS demonstrator, launched in January, has already validated its ability to collect high-quality microwave observations. This new phase allows NOAA to verify sensor performance across diverse seasonal weather patterns and atmospheric conditions. The contract includes an unfunded option for three additional months of data, valued at $2 million.
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
Spire originally secured a $4 million development contract for the HyMS payload in 2022. Company leadership notes that utilizing a scalable commercial constellation for hyperspectral sounding could provide a more resilient global weather data tier. By integrating these commercial observations, NOAA aims to improve forecast accuracy in regions currently underserved by traditional observation systems. For the industry, this signals a shift toward agile, commercially sourced atmospheric intelligence.