GeoOptics

GeoOptics and Spire Global win NOAA weather data contracts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded its first contracts Nov. 20 to purchase radio occultation data from commercial satellite operators to GeoOptics and Spire Global.

Arianespace launches Vega on return-to-flight mission with 53 smallsats
European launch provider Arianespace conducted a successful return-to-flight mission of Vega, its light-lift rocket, on Sept. 2, completing the vehicle’s first launch in 14 months.

NOAA issues solicitation for commercial radio occultation data
For the first time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is soliciting proposals for commercial radio occultation satellite data to feed operational weather forecast models.

NOAA to buy commercial radio occultation data for operations
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plans to acquire commercial radio occultation data for operational use, according to a detailed report released June 26 on the agency's Commercial Weather Data Pilot.

Cubesat built in Monaco reveals new partnership approach
Orbital Solutions Monaco paid for and built the six-unit cubesat based on the Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems design. In return, OSM will share in revenues generated by GeoOptics’ weather satellite fleet.

GeoOptics unveils updated radio occultation data processing
GeoOptics unveiled a data processing system April 14 to improve the accuracy of weather data from its CICERO radio occultation satellite constellation. CICERO stands Community Initiative for Cellular Earth Remote Observation.

Air Force wants satellite weather data
The U.S. Air Force has obligated about $7 million of its $20 million budget for commercial satellite weather data.

Three companies win NOAA commercial weather data pilot contracts
NOAA awarded more than $8 million in contracts this week to three companies in the second round of a commercial satellite weather data pilot program.

Rocket Lab sets date for first commercial launch
Rocket Lab plans to perform the first commercial launch of its Electron rocket later this month, carrying satellites for at least two companies, the company announced April 3.

The still-unrealized promise of commercial Earth science data
Proponents of commercial satellite weather programs have talked up the promise of government data buys from such systems. The results so far have been underwhelming.

Soyuz launches 73 satellites
A Soyuz rocket successfully launched 73 satellites, including spacecraft for four companies’ cubesat constellations, July 14.

Two companies win first NOAA commercial weather contracts
NOAA awarded contracts Sept. 15 to two companies to provide weather data as part of a pilot program that could lead to greater uses of data from commercial satellites.

Letter | Working Together for Better Forecasts
GeoOptics has never lobbied against COSMIC-2; indeed, we celebrate the world stature of COSMIC and COSMIC-2 to establish beyond a doubt the criticality of radio occultation in precision weather forecasting.