Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding for weather forecasting

Before we jump in, let’s answer an important question. What is Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding?

Microwave sounders are crucial for weather forecasting models due to their unique capability to measure within and through the cloud layer. Out of all weather data, they consistently rank the highest impact observations in terms of weather forecast accuracy. Despite their significance, they have been limited in the number of sensing channels they observe. Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding (HyMS) significantly advances this critical remote sensing technique by collecting data across numerous frequency bands in the microwave spectrum. In other words, HyMS technology collects detailed information from the different ‘colors’ of microwave signals, even though these colors can’t be seen with the naked eye.

How is Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding used for weather forecasting?

HyMS sensors capture detailed profiles of the Earth’s atmosphere, measuring important atmospheric variables including temperature, humidity and precipitation. Since the sensors leverage fine spectral resolution across various microwave bands, they can collect data efficiently in all sorts of conditions, including dense cloud cover or heavy rainfall.

The data collected with HyMS enhances the vertical resolution of atmospheric soundings, enables greater accuracy of temperature and water vapour, and provides greater information content on hydrometeors (e.g., rain, snow, ice cloud). A major motive is also to ensure the resilience of this critical observation against the growing threat of radio frequency interference from sources such as 5G and future 6G. Overall, this next-generation hyperspectral approach will substantially improve weather forecasting capabilities.

What’s more is that since the HyMS was developed in a compact form, it can fit neatly on a 16U Nanosatellite platform, showcasing the abilities and advantages of miniaturized space technology for enhanced atmospheric profiling and weather forecasting. Allowing for a miniaturized satellite form factor that can operate in constellation scale in Low Earth Orbit, therefore bringing more reliable and constantly refreshed data from this LEO proximity of collection.

What makes HyMS a step change over traditional microwave sounder technologies?

HyMS technology has been shown through various studies to provide substantial advantages for weather forecasting, including but not limited to the following:

1. As with other microwave sensing technologies, environmental conditions like dense cloud cover or heavy rainfall will not stop data collection efforts from LEO. While visible and infrared sensors are severely limited in their ability to collect data under such conditions, microwave sensors can seamlessly collect data.
2. Spire’s hyperspectral sensor samples at fine (narrow) resolution across a broad continuous bandwidth (>16 GHz instantaneously) versus traditional microwave sensors, which sample only select parts of the atmospheric spectrum. Since each frequency interacts differently with varying levels of the atmosphere, it ultimately allows for more precise measurements of atmospheric parameters at different altitudes (higher vertical resolution). Sampling across the atmospheric spectrum for temperature and water vapour also improves the accuracy of these atmospheric variables.
3. HyMS sensors offer the ability to detect Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) sources from the emerging threat of 5G, future 6G, and telecom service satellites that are moving to higher microwave frequencies adjacent to critical bands. It can do this through its high-resolution sampling and signal processing methods that enable the detection and filtering out of unwanted signals from outside sources.
4. Spire’s progress towards a small satellite constellation of HyMS will improve our ability to observe the same spot on Earth at faster revisit rates, supporting the growing need for real-time weather monitoring and forecasting (Nowcasting).

Spire’s approach to commercializing HyMS-enabled technology

Here at Spire, we’ve developed a unique approach to atmospheric data collection and weather forecasting, pioneered with innovative technologies that bridge the gap between atmospheric observations and weather predictions.

There are three key stages of reaching the commercialization of HyMS-enabled satellites for weather forecasting.

1. Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding (HyMS)

In-Orbit Demonstration of Technology: Stage one involves the development and demonstration of Spire’s proprietary HyMS technology. RAL Space developed this novel sensor, and Spire won the NOAA contract to provide high-resolution atmospheric data by capturing fine measurements across different frequency bands of the microwave spectrum. Spire will undertake building the space mission, manufacturing the satellite for the sensor, devising the launch plan, as well as operations of the satellites once in orbit for the next 4+ years.

2. Operational Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder-Satellite (OHMS-Sat)

Stage two is the integration of Spire’s HyMS technology aboard a commercialized satellite platform. OHMS-Sat represents the transition from our ‘proof-of-concept’ to a practical and scalable solution for real-world weather forecasting applications.

3. AI-driven high-resolution forecasts

Spire will adapt its high-resolution AI weather forecasting models and assimilate the novel hyperspectral microwave data set to deliver advanced forecasting for downstream businesses critically dependent on accurate real-time weather forecasting, such as the renewable energy sector. The weather AI models are driven by the quality of the data they ingest. When combined with its established Radio Occultation data, Spire’s Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder (HyMS) will set new benchmarks for weather forecasting accuracy. These scalable sensors deliver an unprecedented update rate for monitoring rapidly evolving weather events. Paired with advanced AI forecasting algorithms, they not only improve forecast precision but also extend predictive capabilities further into the future.

Each of the above initiatives helps address the traditional limitations of weather forecasting by delivering high-resolution data, enhanced global coverage, and real-time atmospheric insights from satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Together, they compose a sequence of interconnected weather forecasting solutions, enabling us here at Spire to reinvent how the world approaches forecasting.

Spire’s innovative weather forecasting technologies in action

Spire x NOAA – HyMS-enabled on-orbit demonstration

Spire’s proprietary Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding (HyMS) sensor technology is gaining attention after being awarded a two-year, $4 million NOAA contract to enhance the value and accuracy of NOAA’s Numerical Weather Predictions (NWP). The contract will fund Spire’s in-orbit demonstration of its HyMS-enabled 16U nanosatellites, which will showcase the extent to which HyMS technology can improve nowcasting and forecasting capabilities.

This partnership builds on Spire’s history of successful collaborations with various government agencies, including NOAA’s prior contract with Spire for Radio Occultation (RO) data, and further demonstrates NOAA’s confidence in Spire to deliver actionable, scalable, and real-time insights into the world of weather forecasting.

How will HyMS support NOAA’s primary mission?

Spire’s HyMS-enabled nanosatellites will support NOAA’s mission by filling some of the most critical gaps in atmospheric data.

Traditional weather forecast systems utilize large-scale satellites (carrying multiple sensors and weighing ~ 4 Tonnes), this limits the number of satellites that can be launched and the technology update rate due to the costs and timescales involved with such large missions. Spire’s approach is to use an advanced digital backend enabled microwave sensor and miniaturisation approach. This will provide NOAA, and other NWP centres, complimentary observations to the larger weather satellites (that offer additional essential utility) by ultimately increasing the number of microwave sounders in orbit to improve global coverage. Spire’s unique hyperspectral digital back end approach will introduce new capabilities for enhancing Numerical Weather Prediction models including”.

• Improved vertical resolution of atmospheric temperature and water vapour
• Improvement in the accuracy of atmospheric profiles
• All-Weather Data Collection at High Spectral Resolution
• Radio Frequency interference detection and mitigation

HyMS innovations

This era of HyMS-enabled nanosatellites for weather forecasting is revolutionary for two primary reasons: high performance and miniaturization.

Historically, microwave sounders have been deployed on large multi-sensor platforms (e.g., JPSS or MetOP). Spire has now made significant progress by fitting the advanced capabilities into a small-form satellite bus. The compact design of Spire’s HyMS sensors can fit on a small satellite platform, reaffirming how weight, size, and cost reductions can be applied to atmospheric sensing technology in low-Earth orbit.

Miniaturization unlocks a constellation-ready system that will drive substantially improved life on Earth through better forecasting capabilities. This will be a future-proof observation system that is resilient to emerging radio frequency interference threats and highly complements existing and future government observation infrastructure.

Competitive landscape for HyMS technology

While weather forecasting technologies have been developed and improved decade after decade, Spire’s HyMS technology is making a unique mark on the history of meteorology.

Spire will be the first company to provide hyperspectral microwave weather data across critical temperature and water vapor bands in a satellite. Spire’s ability to combine its HyMS sensor payloads with miniaturized satellite platforms will position it as the frontrunner in cost-effective, scalable, and high-performance solutions moving forward. Beyond those basics, Spire is a global leader in space-based data services, allowing it to provide unmatched expertise to the weather industry and those operating within it.

Spire x STAR-Dundee/Met Office/STFC RAL Space – Operational Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder-Satellite (OHMS-Sat)

Building on the successes of the Hyperspectral Microwave Sounding (HyMS) in-orbit demonstration with NOAA, Spire’s OHMS-Sat project will be a pivotal milestone in the journey toward HyMS-enabled weather forecasting missions.

The ambitious OHMS-Sat initiative is a UK Space Agency-supported program spearheaded by Spire Global in partnership with STAR-Dundee, the UK Met Office, and STF RAL Space. The project will build on HyMS’s prior developments and accelerate its progress towards an operational mission that supplies weather forecasting data to global Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) centers and creates new and unique weather products.

Collaborations & vision

Led by Spire Global and supported by the UK Space Agency (UKSA), the £4.9 million OHMS-Sat program includes a £3.5 million contribution from UKSA. The contribution comes through the UK’s National Space Innovation Program, which is making a £33 million investment to unlock growth and drive innovation in UK space technologies.

The OHMS-Sat program will asses HyMS in orbit data with the UK Met Office and build and launch the next iteration of HyMS, the Operational Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder – Satellite (OHMS-Sat), in collaboration with;

• STAR-Dundee Ltd, which will develop a state-of-the-art digital back-end ultra-wideband spectrometer, a critical component of the hyperspectral capability.
• The Met Office will carry out a study with the HyMS observations to demonstrate the impact of assimilation in a global NWP system and support airborne demonstrations of hyperspectral microwave sounding to further assess the potential impact of the data.
• STFC RAL Space will provide critical space-qualified mm-wave receiver components and calibration targets for space flight and on-ground testing before launch.

OHMS-Sat next steps

OHMS-Sat is the second stage of bringing Spire’s HyMS technology to its widespread adoption. The coming steps in this transition involve the distribution of funding for key developments, including:

• Testing and validation: STFC RAL Space will develop millimetre wave technology for the HyMS sensor payloads and ensure reliability throughout their operational lifespans in LEO.
• Data assimilation: The Met Office will evaluate the impact of hyperspectral data in existing global weather models to demonstrate the practical application of high-resolution data in an applied context.
• Commercialization: This will support the development of full-scale, commercialized satellite constellations that support Spire’s innovative HyMS payloads, which are designed to enhance global weather forecasting.

Spire x NASA/NOAA – Sounder for Microwave-based Applications (SMBA)

The team was awarded a $4.6 million, 12-month Phase A contract for NOAA’s Near-Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program and participated alongside Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, and Orbital Micro Systems. Each contractor has been awarded a specific amount of money to develop and refine their microwave-sounding designs for LEO. Spire supported this Phase A study on the basis of its unique hyperspectral architecture and microwave expertise.

What are the most common space launch terms?

Understanding the features and terms surrounding any orbital launch mission is an important aspect of grasping the nuances of the modern launch market. This knowledge is particularly beneficial for selecting the right launch vehicle (rocket) provider for your mission. Here are some space launch phrases to be aware of:

• Payload – The payload is the primary object or objects that are to be placed into orbit. These can include scientific instruments, a wide variety of sensors, cargo destined for the International Space Station (ISS) and more. Payload requirements set the criteria for satellite design.
• Satellite – A satellite is the structure that hosts the payload(s) on their journey into space and beyond. Satellite design (size, mass, etc) inform selection of the launch vehicle.
• Launch vehicle – The launch vehicle, more commonly known as a rocket, propels satellites, or sometimes humans, into space. Launch vehicles come in various sizes and configurations, each suitable for different payload types.
• Fairing – The fairing is a protective shell or nose-cone structure that securely encases the satellite(s) inside the launch vehicle. The fairing containing the precious cargo is positioned at the very top of the launch vehicle. The primary purpose of the fairing is to shield the payloads from aerodynamic forces and environmental conditions during ascent. Fairing volume represents a selection criterion based on satellite size.
• Payload adapter – These mechanisms allow for mission flexibility and the ability to carry multiple satellites in a single launch.

Picture shows all satellites loaded in deployer pods, ready to be stationed inside Falcon 9 for the SpaceX Transporter 7 rideshare mission, launched in April 2023. Image credit: Exolaunch

How do I approach a conversation with a satellite launch company?

Your mission requirements should always be the main driver behind any launch request. These play an important role in shaping your payload’s journey to orbit and to properly navigate this conversation, you must be clear on each requirement ahead of your discussion with a launch provider. Example satellite launch mission requirements include:

• Mission – The primary criteria to keep in mind is the mission of your satellite. If the mission that your satellite is designed to fulfil isn’t met, none of the other criteria matter. Mission defines the trade space for each of the other criteria.
• Cost – The most common question we hear is “how much does it cost to launch a satellite into space?” Balancing your mission objectives with your budget is vital, and costs vary between different launch companies.
• Orbit – Different missions require different orbitals, such as geostationary orbits for persistence coverage, mid-inclination orbits for frequent revisit at lower altitudes, or sun-synchronous orbits to provide consistent local observation times on each satellite pass. Select the right orbit for your payload to perform its mission effectively.
• Launch schedule – Timing is key. The ideal launch is one that occurs quickly after satellite delivery. If the launch is too early for the satellite development program, it can result in a missed launch window that can lead to delays and additional costs. But selecting a launch that is too far in the future risks the satellite sitting on the ground, not providing value. Choosing a launch partner with ready-to-go backup options allows for better alignment with launch timing, satellite development, and delivery.
• Mass -–The weight and size of your payload has a direct impact on the choice of launch vehicle and launch costs. You will usually pay launch costs on a per kilogram basis.

The above factors can have an overlap. For example, the choice of orbit may affect the launch schedule, and the volume of your payload can impact price. As a general rule, the more flexible you are, the wider your launch options will be.

Nanosatellites undergoing deployer integration at the Spire Global Glasgow, Scotland facility with the Exolaunch team for the SpaceX Transporter 7 mission, pictured in March 2023

What different orbits can be reached by commercial launch vehicles?

We touched on this above, but understanding the different orbit types is essential for finding the right launch partner for your space mission. Thankfully, the commercial market is capable of reaching any imagined Earth orbit, if your budget allows.
Put simply, an orbit is the path that an object in space (your payload) takes around another object (Earth) due to gravity. There are several types of orbits that you can choose to launch into, and each can serve a distinct purpose. Here are some common orbital inclinations to consider:

• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) – LEO is the closest orbital region to Earth, and satellites in this orbital region are ideal for Earth observation (EO), communications, and scientific missions (for example, on board the International Space Station). Equatorial orbits, as the name implies, pass over equatorial regions of the Earth. Mid-inclination orbits cover more of the Earth’s surface, up to the northern and southern latitude described by the orbit. As the naming convention implies, polar orbits pass over the Earth’s poles. Sun-Synchronous Orbits (SSO) are a special case of polar orbit that pass over a spot on the Earth’s surface at the same local time underneath the satellite with each orbit.
• Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) – MEO is at a higher altitude than LEO, with GPS satellites being prime examples. This orbit offers a balance between longer coverage persistence (lower apparent motion through the sky to an observer on the ground) and greater signal strength (with link budgets influenced by distance between transmitter and receiver).
• Geostationary Orbit (GEO)– Payloads in GEO orbit are approximately 36,000 kilometers above the equator. They are a special case of orbit that has a period equal to 1 day, thus if positioned over the equator, they appear stationary in the sky to an observer on the ground. They are commonly used for communication, weather monitoring, and broadcasting.

Your orbital path depends on your mission’s objectives and requirements, as different orbits offer varying advantages and limitations.

What are the main opportunities and challenges in the satellite launch market?

Being aware of current and future market complexities is important for launch planning. Some considerations for today’s launch market include:

1. Diversity of launch vehicles – There are many different types of launch vehicles available, which is both a blessing and a curse! Each rocket offers specific capabilities and limitations, so it’s essential to match the right vehicle to mission requirements.
2. Building partnership and collaboration opportunities – Established players in the space industry, such as Northrop Grumman, the International Space Station (ISS), and the Indian Space Agency, bring their own unique strengths and challenges. Successfully navigating partnerships and collaborations with these entities requires ongoing effort.
3. Identifying established players – Different methods exist for evaluating different launch providers, from focusing on the reliability of the launch vehicle to how established the company is. At Spire, we have created the Rocket Reliability Rubric (the R three) to provide an objective and quantifiable score of a launch provider’s suitability for a particular mission.
4. Geopolitical climate – Geopolitical factors, such as the war in Ukraine, have far-reaching implications on the space industry. Sanctions and restrictions on the use of certain launch vehicles impact the accessibility of specific markets, posing challenges to mission planners.
5. Market availability – Instances like Virgin Orbit’s bankruptcy can result in the sudden unavailability of a launch vehicle. Similarly, there are many new players trying to establish their presence as reliable launch providers.
6. Impact of COVID-19 –The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have lasting effects on various space organizations and their supply chains, impacting launch schedules.
7. An ever-evolving industry – The space industry is continuously changing, with new launch concepts and innovations on the horizon.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launching – NASA/Tony Gray and Tim Powers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How do I select the right launch partner for my mission?

Answer: When it comes to selecting the right launch vehicle, knowing the terminology, the broad orbital options, and understanding the considerations of launch will provide you with the right foundations. However, there are far more elements to consider before you book your place on the launch manifest. Here are some additional important questions to keep in mind:

• Does the payload have an unusual shape or contain non-typical design elements?
• What licenses does one need to transport the technology/satellite to a launch site?
• What licenses does one need to launch and operate the satellite?
• What is the minimum volume of payload that can be launched to meet mission objectives?
• How crucial is the launch timeline for the mission?
• How sensitive is the price per kilogram to enable the mission?
• Does the payload contain any hazardous substances or materials?
• Which launch site or spaceport is most convenient for the team and the mission?
• What are the limitations of small launchers versus larger rockets?

Robert concluded with wise parting thoughts, saying:

At the Spire Global Glasgow facility, where the satellites for SNC are integrated into an Exolaunch deployer. The satellites were launched successfully on the Transporter 9 mission in November 2023.

“The rocket launch market is complex and dynamic, and we are excited about the opportunities it brings forward to find the right partner for your satellite mission needs,” Sproles concluded.

Building your satellite constellation with Spire

Spire has more than 11 years of experience designing, building, and launching payloads into orbit, providing supportive solutions in this dynamic landscape. Our Space Services team can help decipher terminology and select the right orbits, while our multi-user agreements with launch providers mean we have a tried and tested list of close launch partners to suit your needs.

This blog post is distilled from Spire’s illuminating Launch & Learn webinar with Dr. Robert Sproles, offering insights into the modern launch market.

About Dr. Robert Sproles

With over two decades of experience, Dr. Sproles is a people-centric technical leader with a passion for developing new technical capabilities and leading teams to deliver. He currently serves as CTO at Exolaunch, focusing on Exolaunch’s market-defining products and services at scale. Sproles spent nearly a decade at Spire Global, where throughout his tenure, he installed a global ground station network, managed early satellite builds and test facility development, and led the satellite design team. He ended his tenure serving as VP of Constellation Planning and Operations, overseeing satellite operations, launch, ground stations, and satellite communications to enable tomorrow’s constellation needs.

About Exolaunch

Exolaunch (Germany, USA) is a global leader in launch mission integration and deployment technologies. With a decade of flight heritage and over 360 satellites launched across 25 missions to date, Exolaunch leverages industry insight to tailor turn-key solutions that meet customer needs and respond to market trends. Exolaunch fulfills launch contracts for industry leaders, the world’s most innovative start-ups, research institutions, government organizations, and international space agencies. The company develops and manufactures its own flight-proven and industry-leading small satellite separation systems, with the fastest-growing heritage on the market. Exolaunch is committed to making space accessible to all and to promoting its safe, sustainable, and responsible use.

The challenges of building a franken-satellite mission

In this cartoon, you see a program manager dealing with multiple vendors, novel technologies, and integration risks that are bound to show up much later in your mission cycle. Your satellite mission is a sum of parts, many vendors can lead to multiple integration risks.

The most successful companies operating at scale (like Planet, SpaceX, and Spire) don’t take a piecemeal approach to finding suppliers because it creates complexity and barriers to growth. The same principle applies even more to small to medium-sized companies that have limited time, budgets, or resources for administration, project management, and contractual bureaucracy. No matter the size of the company, a single provider will ensure that systems and subsystems talk to each other, creating a single synchronous journey that can grow as needed.

Six challenges of having multiple vendors for your satellite constellation:

1. Poor integration

When systems aren’t designed together, there’s a risk that they won’t integrate. Since a mission is a combination of many components, these issues show themselves, the more partners you have, the more likely it is that the systems could face this problem. A satellite mission is planned across manufacturing, launch manifest, ground station network for operations, etc, – in parallel streams and comes together as a full mission at the very end. Therefore with a multi-partner approach, critical integration issues don’t arise upfront and instead have a pyramid tumble effect right at the point of mission finalisation.

2. Performance issues

There’s a big difference between building hardware that someone else operates and building hardware that you have operational excellence in. Today, you can access a growing number of services; mission design as a service, ground segment as a service, platform as a service, and so on. However, experience tends to be limited when compared to providers who have gained flight heritage from holistic operations of scale and capability across a growing fleet, such as Spire. Furthermore, since Spire is its own customer – Spire Space Services’ infrastructure delivers results for the data side of our business – as your satellite provider, you leverage from our 600+ years of flight experience across 160+ satellites that have undergone 30+ variations. Our learners are embedded in the solutions that we provide for your space needs.

3. Slipping timelines

Any delay in the timeline (due to your technical developments or an external factor meaning a deliverable isn’t ready or a launch has to be moved) can cause you to miss targets you have set with partners and investors. But even if timelines do slip, a company like Spire, which is vertically integrated across mission design, manufacture, test and integration, deployment, and operations can switch the many steps and sequences of your mission to make up for delays across the value chain giving you access to a variety of opportunities for reaching orbit and keeping your plans on track. When a company works at scale, it is able to offer schedule resilience and counter the ripple effect of dynamic changes.

4. Administration and legalities

Working with a single supplier with a track record for delivering similar missions to precise requirements will reduce the amount of time and money to be spent on necessary bureaucracy, whether that be NDAs, export licenses, or insurance considerations. Different providers mean multiple conversations, jurisdictions, and viewpoints before you reach each agreement to begin the work. The concept of satellite constellations that need to have a global license and regulatory framework is new. These challenges are not limited to single-country licenses. It’s worth asking the question, “Does your ground-station-as-a-service provider have a license that is in sync with your satellite platform license?”. And if so, “Are these licenses in sync with ITAR compliance or ITAR free compliance processes?”

5. Mission control

The more partners you have, who in turn are relying on their supply chain partners, the more external factors that lie outside your control come into consideration. Not all space flight heritages are equal. You could be working with multiple partners that offer space-tested solutions – but that doesn’t imply a seamless, de-risked, and successful end-to-end value chain. A de-risked value chain from a reliable partner is a critical factor in determining mission success.

6. Funding a multi-partner approach

You’ll likely be asked to pay 90% upfront payment for each part of the mission development. Today the funding environment is at its toughest, with businesses expected to reach profitability faster than ever, regardless of the time it may take to achieve growth and begin scaling activity. Space isn’t just tough, it’s expensive too, and commercial viability for a satellite business is a long-term goal. This problem is further compounded when you work with a multi-vendor mission builder. The majority of vendors will ask for 90% upfront capital, straining your cash flow and adding the pressure of large expense lines to your balance sheet. This will quickly drain your resources, negatively impacting your ability to focus on product development or reaching minimum viable scale, because instead of your time, money, and energy going into building your big product idea, you’re instead trying to fund the building of space infrastructure from multiple suppliers.

Final thoughts

The current maturity of the market is such that many new providers are yet to gain extensive experience of the complexities that can arise when you move from one satellite in space to five, or indeed from five satellites in space to twenty. This will come in time as the new entrants gain experience, but for now, the above challenges provide examples of unrealised issues further providing that “space is hard!” without experienced support, beyond more obvious technology milestones.

As we have seen, choosing multiple vendors with limited levels of experience not only creates a ‘false economy’ via perceived cost savings on the surface that can drive up your cost in the early stages of a project but can also store up problems that only emerge when you want to scale. The Spire SpaaS model helps to de-risk each element of the project, reduces administration, and increases experience, with lower CapEx expenditure and fewer barriers to scaling.

Find out how we can help you deploy and scale your constellation and software in space with Spire Space Services.

Earth Observation, from the first view of the Earth from a satellite to improving life on Earth

Before we look more into where we are going, let’s first take a look back. After many experimental satellites were orbited and when the first operational observation of the Earth from a satellite was captured from the weather satellite, TIROS-1 in 1960, no one could have anticipated that vastly more capable technology would be packed into the contemporary 6U-sized satellite. Packed into a fraction of the size of the early satellites, Spire’s satellites replace the grainy, low-resolution imagery of decades past, with the ultra-sharp, ultra-high-resolution images of today. These images can even be processed using machine learning and AI. From images showing the tracking of weather patterns from space, to today’s high-quality, actionable insights to support climate science, far faster, far smaller, and far better.

The Earth Observation satellites used for meteorology and photography of the Earth in the early 1960s were the forerunners of today’s Earth Observation industry, which is now helping to tackle some of the most pressing problems around the globe, such as the destruction caused by what seems like an increasing number of wildfires every year. Their early identification and monitoring of their progression is most effectively carried out from space, allowing fire crews to be deployed with maximum effect, fully informed on each situation thanks to the ability to predict the fire’s movements and support disaster relief efforts from the ultimate vantage point – a “bird’s eye” view from space.

Wildfire mitigation: Satellite based thermal imagery as the first line of defence

Two companies at the forefront of an environmental and business support effort are Spire Global and thermal intelligence data experts, OroraTech.

At Spire we allow our customers to quickly and cost-effectively deploy and scale their own constellation of nanosatellites with minimum risk and resource by utilizing Spire’s ‘build, launch, and operate’ capabilities and expertise. Our pioneering space organziation leverages over a decade of experience developing our own proven space data platform, together with a global ground station network, end-to-end manufacturing facility, and extensive launch partnership network, to roll out solutions at pace for clients that need space insight.

OroraTech is an international global intelligence-as-a-service company and long-term Spire partner, who have developed the technology to provide insights around wildfire monitoring and thermal data collection. Founded in Munich, Germany, the innovative company has revolutionized wildfire detection by establishing a comprehensive global monitoring network, delivering real-time situational awareness and prompt risk alerts.

In creating their space strategy, OroraTech recognized that information from satellites would provide them with the global coverage they needed for their service, allowing them to react faster to detect wildfires at the earliest stages while finding a cost-effective way to drive forward the technology development of their sensors. At the same time, they needed not only to be able to identify and monitor fires but also to ensure a robust, secure, and swift mechanism to send the data collected back to analysts who could turn that information into actions. Actions that could not only save their customers money, natural capital, and belongings, but could save lives too.

Leveraging datasets from space was the perfect solution for enhancing the impact of OroraTech’s technology and the ability to take a ‘new space’ approach to an age-old problem was key. As a young company focusing resources in key areas, it could not expect to use traditional, government space missions, or afford to rely on large satellites built by aerospace ‘Primes’ and come with lots of costs and even more waiting times. In Spire, they found a dynamic partner that could move quickly due to having done most of the heavy lifting already – all that was needed was the addition of OroraTech’s payload.

In the words of OroraTech’s Chief Commercial Officer, Dr. Axel Roenneke:

“We worry about our customer’s needs and giving them the best performance. We don’t need to worry about the launch or how the satellite platform operates”

This is FOREST-2, OroraTech’s 6U Spire-built CubeSat carrying an improved thermal imaging camera. The OroraTech constellation of 8 satellites will be comprised of duplicate spacecraft using this technology. It will be the first-ever solution in space at the constellation scale that captures wildfires globally at their inception, therefore increasing mitigation response time and ultimately saving lives and the environment.

Wildfires: Size of the problem

Wildfires are a topical, dangerous, and expensive problem all over the world. The area burned in the US by wildfires appears to have increased each year since the1980s (EPA). DBRS Morningstar estimates that the Canadian wildfire-related insured losses in Q3 will amount to between $700 million and $1.5 billion. DBRS said that wildfires have been particularly widespread this year, affecting most Canadian provinces and burning through 14 million hectares of land (Reinsurance News). Perhaps it’s no surprise that the Canadian Space Agency has prioritized this issue, recently turning to Spire and OroraTech to help develop solutions for mitigating the problem.

While the long-term remedy would be to halt climate change (or even reverse it, if at all possible), the immediate challenge is to identify and fight fires as soon as possible. Spire and OroraTech enable achieving this from space with considerable effectiveness.

OroraTech, who have quickly secured their position as the industry leader in space-based thermal data intelligence, recently appointed Dr Axel Roenneke as their Chief Commercial Officer. His extensive industry knowledge and leadership experience will be instrumental in driving OroraTech’s future growth and expanding its climate intelligence-as-a-service offering into new markets such as insurance, utilities, agriculture, and geospatial.

Dr Roenneke further explained, “I’m looking at how to scale up OroraTech, which has been developing these amazing products to manage wildfires and to help manage climate change. We are going at a very strong pace now.”

With so many countries searching for ways to combat this continual problem, and so many communities, business supply chains, and natural ecosystems impacted, the demand for OroraTech’s expertise and detection capabilities is growing.

How can satellite constellations in space help mitigate wildfires?

The detection of wildfires and forest security more generally is often undertaken by ground assets including human observation, cameras on towers, aircraft, and more recently, Internet of Things sensors. But these are far less flexible and visually capable than satellites, as well as coming with huge associated safety risks, logistical issues, and both installation and maintenance costs, in many cases. On average, wildfires spread at about 15mph, but in strong winds and ideal conditions they can spread faster than a car can be driven away. Wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui recently demonstrated this, leaving those impacted with very little time to escape with their lives, let alone their possessions (NPR).

In the early days of satellites, the revisit cycle was low, so it could take days to have a second look at a specific area. Today, with many nanosatellites in a wide range of low-Earth orbits, constant observation is possible and companies like Spire specialise in multi-satellite constellations that can facilitate any payload requirements from innovative firms like OroraTech.

Dr Roenneke stated, “With our Wildfire Solution customers gain situational awareness at their finger tips, globally, across countries and continents, without sacrificing response time or accuracy. This can only be done with a sensor network in space. A satellite-as-a-service provider helps us do this cost efficiently.”

An example of a recent fire that emerged near Fox Lake, Alberta, captured on May 8, 2023, via OroraTech’s Wildfire Solution. Left image: The detection of the first hotspot on May 3, 2023. Right image: The fire progression after five days of burning (OroraTech)

Why, for Spire, firefighting from space is just the tip of the iceberg

Spire’s heritage and reliance on its own fleets is what attracted OroraTech to the firm. We currently have more than 100 satellites in orbit, while operating over 30 ground stations. Our company has conducted 30-plus launch campaigns in ten years and has over 780 customers in 65 countries and counting. But perhaps most interestingly and reassuring for customers like OroraTech, Spire is the number one user of its own platforms. The company has a division that provides data insights itself, meaning it relies on the same infrastructure services and solutions that it provides for partner missions.

Joel Spark, co-founder of publicly listed Spire Global Inc. and is its Chief Satellite Architect, explains:

“There is an attitude that space is going to help businesses in the future. That’s not the case. Space is already here.”

“We take them from the idea to their application being deployed in orbit. They have direct control over their payload through an API, very similar to how you would deploy your cloud infrastructure with a server with Amazon. It’s explicitly built to scale. They can operate it manually up to about 10 satellites, but it’s designed on an API basis to operate with your back-end business logic.” added Spark.

When it comes to demonstrating how space benefits life on Earth and harnessing these benefits commercially, Spire’s successful collaborations with its multitude of private and government clients act as a catalyst to inspire future generations of innovative space development, delivering the kind of missions that matter most.

The company was started 11 years ago to improve life on Earth using data from space, before realizing that in addition to offering data insight, it had become perfectly suited to helping others develop their own missions for Spire to execute through its design, build and launch experience.

Today, the message from every single member of the Spire Space Services team is clear – “Every company needs a space strategy” and businesses all around the world today can be separated into two categories; those who have one and those who need one.

This logic has become a mantra for our firm, as we seek to inform other industries about what satellite-based tools they can draw on to further any business and solve any Earth problem.

Get started with Spire Space Services

The power of small satellites

The availability of small satellite technology and processing technology certainly means constellations can be built cost-effectively and at speed. Now there are more routes to space than ever, but providers offer different levels of service – and as with anything, the devil is in the detail.

When embarking on a journey to deploy and operate a new constellation there are key questions that need answers to set the course right, let’s look at them:

Five questions you might be asking when launching constellation:

1. What challenge am I addressing and who do I target?
2. What data am I going to collect and who is going to buy it?
3. What infrastructure do I need to deliver it cost effectively?
4. Who can build my satellite(s) and what are its operational parameters?
5. When will it launch and how fast can I go to market?

But here are five questions you may not have thought to ask just yet:

1. How will I manage 24/7 satellite/system operations?
2. Will it be scalable and optimised?
3. How to ensure day-to-day operational efficiency, also while scaling the system?
4. How can I automate and optimise scheduling of data collections?
5. How can I maximise the value of my investment and future-proof the solution?

A good constellation partner will provide the answers to these questions – and help you to design a journey that will maximise the value of your assets by automating, optimising and increasing data collection.

It’s important to remember that building and launching a satellite is just a first step. You then have to operate and communicate with it thousands of times over in its lifetime. With every new spacecraft expanding your fleet, the system complexity is growing; space assets need to be integrated with operations, ground networking and data production to ensure reliable service delivery.

A constellation requires 24/7 monitoring, anomaly management, and preventative and corrective maintenance, so that data can be captured and processed quickly, reliably and securely.

Ground stations can only talk to one satellite at a time, even when there are multiple satellites overhead. A chain of decisions must therefore be made constantly to determine which ground stations and satellites will interact at any given time.

Space as a service from Spire

An integrated space, ground and cloud system creates a one-stop-shop, enabling users to build on existing infrastructure and expand from in-orbit demonstration and testing to fleet without starting from scratch each time. Matched with service-based subscription models it give companies a faster route to space, without high upfront costs and ongoing maintenance.

By leveraging the proven Spire constellation services and infrastructure, our customers are able to accelerate their business operations, moving from design to on-orbit operations in as little as six months and get a head start for the future scale.

New innovations and service offerings, such as Spire’s Software in Space solution, that allows for launching, scaling or testing new applications without the need to launch dedicated spacecraft by simply uploading software to existing satellites, enables new applications to be directly tested in space, reducing timescales even further. This technology will allow more organisations to access space, iterate at speed, and make continuous improvements on-orbit from the get-go.

And it’s not just about the number of satellites in operation but how they’re used to support network efficiency, data productivity and business continuity. Spire’s AI-enabled automated constellation operations enables users to automatically manage multi payload systems, while reducing latency and increasing geographical coverage, no matter how many satellites they have.

A constellation service for Myriota

One company leveraging the Spire constellation infrastructure and services is Australia-based Myriota,, a direct-to-orbit (Non-Terrestrial Network) IoT communications leader on a mission to deliver better outcomes for people and planet through simple to use IoT solutions that “just work”, anywhere.

Myriota, known for its security and battery life, surpassing the nearest alternative by 10-30 times has partnered with Spire Global – the leading provider of space services – to accelerate Myriota’s global service expansion, which now supports all key regions including the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America.

In 2021 Spire and Myriota unveiled plans to rapidly ramp up Myriota’s coverage to a global, low latency constellation, expanding its existing coverage across North America, Australia and New Zealand to other markets including Europe. Using Spire’s proven constellation and global operations platform, the company expects to quickly and cost-effectively scale its IoT services to meet rising global demand.

David Haley, CTO and co-founder of Myriota, said that strong partnerships and cultural alignment are key to getting the most from Spire’s constellation.

“We own and operate some of our satellites and we partner where it makes sense. Maintaining that flexibility and commercial approach has worked very well for us and our customers. We’re relatively agnostic about how space hardware is built and deployed, provided it happens quickly and with high mission assurance.

“Spire has invested significantly in innovation and automation, and has an extensive and growing constellation and ground station network. It’s proved it can build and deploy quality radio-defined software that works in space, quickly and securely. Integrating our systems means the outcome is greater than the sum of its parts.

“We’ve also seen strong cultural alignment, which has fueled the success of the program. We share similar values when it comes to collaboration, namely integrity and relentless continuous improvement.”

Although the partnership is relatively new, David explained that it had already yielded positive results:

“We’ve integrated existing Spire satellites into the Myriota network. The Myriota module is smart and learns about the new satellites as we add them into the network. It’s been exciting watching the data run through the satellites and be delivered to customers, and then see the statistics on modules in the field.”

The result, as David concludes, is that customers are reimagining what they thought was possible and it’s created opportunities for new markets and products.

“Our partnership with Spire means that our customers will benefit from secure, near real-time, bi-directional communications.

Users can now access more data faster, from anywhere on earth. Our tracking and logistics customers have already told us they’ll be able to address 100 per cent of their target use cases, and our customers who use IoT for sensing and monitoring will be able to refresh their data more frequently. In preventative maintenance, users are regularly informed which gives them an opportunity to respond to issues quickly.”

Myriota’s “just work” IoT solutions are trusted across diverse sectors, including agriculture, environment, resources, defence, and transport and logistics. By harnessing cutting-edge technology, Myriota empowers businesses worldwide with IoT capabilities that work effortlessly, irrespective of location.

Pioneering the Space-as-a-Service model

The Space-as-a-Service (SPaaS) subscription model, such as the one offered by Spire, has been developed with the vision to make space more commercially accessible and less risky. The company owns and operates one of the world’s largest constellation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that use software defined radios (SDRs) for collecting various types of data points like weather forecast data, AIS data, ADS-B data, RO data, and GNSS reflectometry data.

With more than 100+ satellites in orbit, 30+ ground stations around the world that operate 24/7 as well as mission control teams, Spire has built a proven space infrastructure that is seamlessly integrated and can be leveraged by any company for fast, scalable access to space-based applications through a subscription model. Spire handles the end-to-end management, from manufacturing to launch to satellite operations, taking the space out of being a space company and enabling customers to focus on running their businesses.

Top 5 Advantages of Space as a Service (SPaaS)

SPaaS provides an alternative business model to standard satellite missions where companies have to design or buy satellites, contract launchers, build antennas around the world, and develop the software infrastructure to operate at scale. Instead with SPaaS, companies leverage an existing infrastructure, already at scale, and just pay for what they use.

Spire offers full vertical integration: in-house engineering, manufacturing and testing at its facilities in Glasgow, Scotland.

As a comprehensive SPaaS provider, Spire uses its proven satellite platform, contracts launch providers, manages mission operations, and hosts data collected on a remote cloud network that can be accessed via a simple API — and these services can be scaled up or down with a pay-as-you-go model.

This is analogous to the offering of Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a business; traditionally, companies with large data storage needs would have to physically build and maintain storage space. Building or buying too little storage could be disastrous if the business took off and expensive if it didn’t. This dynamic applies to space businesses as well. Companies that want to scale their business would traditionally have to expand their satellite manufacturing facilities, invest in supply chains, build ground stations all around the world, develop operation software from scratch to make that system work together, and maintain each aspect.

With SPaaS, companies can use Spire’s existing and future capabilities for a customized period of time and pay only for the services that they are using. Here are the top five advantages of the SPaaS model:

1. Reduced time to market

If you are looking to deploy an application in space, Spire’s software in space offering helps you launch an application at constellation scale without having to launch a satellite. Not to mention, the time it takes to gain use of the application and data collection is a fraction of the time that would be spent on building the infrastructure.

If a space-based application requires unique characteristics, such as proprietary sensors, Spire space and ground infrastructure can be leveraged for a monthly subscription cost, rather than paying an upfront CapEx for building each phase of a space mission. With access to the Spire infrastructure, the journey to space can be “fast tracked,” leveraging a supply chain that is vertically integrated across manufacturing, launch with partners, mission operations, ground segments network and cloud infrastructure for data collection.

With a player that is vertically integrated across the supply chain, protection is in place from the onus of solving problems, such as manufacturing or launch delays. For companies working with a variety of providers, a delay from one has a domino effect on the next in sequence. Spire is in the position to reorganize resources and timelines to meet mission-critical deadlines. As you scale from a precursor to minimum viable constellation, Spire offers 24/7 support and expertise in serial manufacturing, flexible and robust launch schedule, a specialized team of engineers, and operations for mission control.

2. Lower (and predictable) costs

SPaaS provides beneficial cost savings, as this entire infrastructure is “shared” among all the users. Due to the size of Spire’s production and operations, the infrastructure lends the advantage of economies of scale to all Space Services customers, leading to lower costs for hardware and software compared to the traditional model.

For example, as Spire owns and operates a constellation of 100+, multi- payload satellites, the company has the ability to pass on the cost benefit of this infrastructure to its customers by offering a serial manufacturing production unit, in-house satellite building environment, owned ground segment network, proprietary software for building systems integration and automation, and mission control center for satellite operations and data downlink.

Customers can leverage any improvements that Spire makes to its serial manufacturing capabilities and mission operations as an advantage to their contracted services, while benefiting from economies of scale. Moreover, SPaaS helps companies better forecast their costs, and comes with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that ties payments to the achievement of the predetermined performance level, such as meeting the launch timeline or the latency between the collection of space-based data and its provision to the customer.

For any new space company raising money from investors, reducing upfront CapEx while making OpEx more predictable as the business grows is a major key to success that SPaaS offers.

3. Scalability and integration

The SPaaS model is set up with the core purpose of scaling constellations. Building a single satellite requires operational interactions with four systems: design, launch vehicle, mission operations and the ground segment. However, as you begin to scale a full constellation, the operational complexity is magnified.

The SPaaS model is designed to scale the entire process of manufacturing and deploying in space to build an entire constellation at a fraction of the time it would traditionally take. Alternatively, without the SPaaS model, it is difficult to determine whether partners across each stage of the mission are all ready to scale with your constellation. Bear in mind, if any part of this moving puzzle is not ready for scale, the entire mission will feel the domino effect of integration failure.

Spire’s proven experience in operating at constellation scale puts it in the unique position of offering ‘reliability’ as a metric for building and operating customers’ constellations. The reason many organizations choose to partner with Spire comes down to its proven flight heritage in payload design, mass manufacturing, launch planning and data processing capabilities. Spire offers a one-stop-shop to take ideas to orbit, with systems that talk to each other and ownership of operations from start to finish.

4. Access to the latest innovations

In a traditional business model, a company must invest capital and resources in new hardware or software development. With SPaaS, customers have access to any improvements or upgrades made by the provider. Spire Space Services customers benefit from any upgrades or technological advancements of satellites, manufacturing, launch partnerships, new mission operations features, or the ground station network at no additional cost. Spire is in the position to deliver the most advanced version of the constellation to its customers year after year.

5. Reliability and lower risk

The Spire Space Services offering comes with 350+ years of proven flight heritage and experience launching 150+ satellites across 32 launch campaigns and managing a constellation of 100+ satellites. This experience naturally extends to all Space Services customers in manufacturing heritage, operational excellence and reliability.

Spire is invested in making constellations work for its own data offerings and, therefore, is in the unique position of offering this instrinsic trust to all future constellation customers. Spire also offers access to Earth-based satellite replica that acts as a sandbox to simulate space on Earth and test applications before launching in space.

Spire’s credibility in building a demanding and 99.99% reliable data infrastructure is showcased by services offered to organizations like NOAA and NASA that recognize the quality of Spire’s data and choose to augment their data infrastructure with it. With this rock solid foundation, Spire is the perfect partner for launching a business in a dependable and secure manner.

Why Spire Space Services?

The information gained about Earth from space is critical in building a better future — and now Spire is doing for space what cloud computing accomplished for the web; offering a reliable infrastructure on which companies can quickly deploy and scale applications.

With lower costs and risks, the SPaaS model is fostering an ecosystem where scaling a business in space is as easy as integrating an API.

Visit Spire Space Services

Article originally published in SatNews

Benefits of miniaturization

One reason to use nanosatellites is that they rely on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts, making them cheaper and faster to develop and launch than large traditional satellites. Shorter development times reduce overall mission costs and allow space programs to utilize smaller budgets to test and explore new technologies, payloads, and hypotheses. CubeSat missions can also provide a lower-cost option to supplement existing space data for larger, more costly satellite missions. Furthermore, CubeSats can provide enhanced mission flexibility when launched as constellations, allowing for persistent global coverage and providing high revisit rates for a fraction of the cost of typical satellites. Experts at NASA believe that space programs can often achieve around 80% of a mission’s goals at only 20% of the cost using small satellite solutions.

One of the key differentiators of CubeSat technology is schedule benefits, enabled by shortened development timelines and flexible launch requirements. CubeSats can launch as secondary payloads on numerous types of launch vehicles with various providers – letting them catch a ride to space faster than ever before. Spire Global, for example, has sent our satellites into orbit on ten different types of rockets to date – showing just how versatile the launch capabilities are for these small satellites. Further, shortening the time it takes to develop a single satellite gives companies and space programs even more flexibility with scheduling. For companies like Spire, the timeline to construct a new nanosatellite is as short as 10 days – allowing rapid launch for new, supplemental, or replacement satellites.

Miniaturized payloads are ideal for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) applications such as geospatial surveillance and weather research. While mid to high-altitude LEO orbit is generally suitable for larger traditional satellites, nanosatellites and miniaturized payloads are far better suited for low-altitude LEO environments. Proliferated LEO – the construction of large constellations of small satellites in low earth orbit – is a strategy used to create resiliency in space missions, allowing the loss of individual satellites without entirely losing the mission. At altitudes of 600km or less, CubeSat constellations face a relatively benign radiation environment, giving them increased resiliency and allowing them to stay on orbit without deteriorating for extended periods. The low altitude LEO environment is also “self-cleaning” – a term used to describe how the higher atmospheric drag pulls spacecraft closer and closer to the earth until finally, they burn up in the atmosphere. This process eliminates the need to include a propulsion device on CubeSats, further lowering development and operation costs. Finally, the closer proximity to the earth allows for improved performance of low-SWaP sensors – enabling high-resolution imaging, improved link budgets, and lower-latency communications.

The cost of traditional satellites can easily extend to hundreds of millions of dollars. CubeSats, on the other hand, are only a fraction of the cost – ranging from as low as $50k to as high as $2M. With CubeSats offering a platform for innovation and satisfying a range of commercial, research, and government purposes, companies can de-risk satellite technology and accelerate the rate we innovate space technology and its applications.

Overall, miniaturization saves money, reduces barriers to entry, powers research & development, and enables functionality that traditional satellites cannot perform.

How small satellites are supplementing missions historically served by large satellites

Various civilian and military applications already utilize CubeSats, and the trend is likely to continue. With the continued miniaturization of technology and devices, CubeSat space missions will include increasingly powerful payloads. To understand the progression of miniaturized payloads, we look at a specific mission set that has greatly benefitted from CubeSat technology – weather forecasting.

The miniaturization of weather observation satellites

Satellites play an essential role as observation tools in monitoring the earth’s weather and climate. Global weather data collected using satellites support scientists by supplementing land-based weather observations, giving us a more comprehensive understanding of our planet’s natural systems. However, traditional weather satellites are massive, costly, and require considerable time and resources to launch into space. Because of this, gaps in observation services are often left unfilled as planning and funding for large missions unfold. In response to the unsatisfied potential for additional observation and data collection, public and private organizations have set out to create more agile, more cost-effective satellite programs to supplement existing earth observation efforts – ultimately leading to miniaturized satellites and payload technology. Organizations can launch small satellites into space much faster and cheaper than traditional satellites, allowing teams to quickly fill gaps in current weather satellite missions and continuously upgrade capability on-orbit.

The early days of weather monitoring with GEO satellites

The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite Program (GOES), a collaborative effort between NASA and the NOAA, formally began in 1975 with the launch of the program’s first weather satellite – the GOES-1. Launched into GEO, GOES-1 weighed nearly 635 kg and operated in orbit for ten years. GOES satellites became increasingly heavy and costly throughout the program’s life as satellite capabilities, and payload technologies advanced. For context, the total cost of the last several GOES program missions has well-exceeded a billion-dollar threshold.

The image above shows the weight progression of GOES weather mission satellites from the beginning of the program’s life. As technology and satellite payload technology advanced, so did the size and weight of the satellites.

The program launched 17 GOES satellites into orbit by 2021, with the five most recent satellites still operational. GOES-T is the next satellite planned for launch in 2022, with an expected launch weight of approximately 2,800 kg.

While traditional GEO satellites are successful in large-scale earth monitoring for weather and climate data, the cost-effective LEO satellites accelerated new earth monitoring strategies and small satellite payload technologies. One crucial advantage that low earth orbit satellites have over GEO satellites is detecting temperature and moisture changes below dense cloud coverage. As LEO satellites are much closer to the earth, they can use microwave and radiofrequency (RF) instruments to analyze weather and climate more effectively. Another advantage of LEO satellites over GEO satellites is providing continuous monitoring with less risk of interruption – a particular benefit for military operations and governments in times of natural disasters.

Supporting weather missions from Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Although GOES satellites excel at collecting various types of earth surface atmospheric data, the size requirements, subsequent high costs, and long procurement and deployment timelines of the satellites led to a need for supplementary constellations that could also provide critical atmospheric data. The Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) satellite constellation helped fill this gap. The program’s objective is to advance meteorology, climatology, and space-based weather monitoring with LEO satellite constellations and GPS technology. In 2006, the program launched its first satellite constellation into low earth orbit – COSMIC-1. The constellation consisted of six satellites, each weighing approximately 61 kg – bringing the total launch weight to just under 370 kg. The constellation conducted temperature, humidity, and pressure sounding – geospatially plotting a vertical profile of the variables to understand and improve weather forecasting. In total, the costs of the construction and launch of COSMIC-1 reached $100 million. After 14 years of collecting valuable atmospheric data, COSMIC decommissioned the constellation.

While the size and weight accomplishments of the COSMIC-1 constellation were undoubtedly a step in the right direction, the need for further satellite miniaturization and overall cost-reduction was evident.

In collaboration with several other space agencies and organizations, NOAA launched the COSMIC-2 constellation – building on the success of COSMIC-1. Even with the vast increase in atmospheric and ionospheric observations of the COSMIC-2 satellites, CubeSat constellations are pushing the benchmark even further. The COSMIC-2 LEO constellation collects around 6,000 ROs per day, while the Spire 3U satellite constellation has successfully collected up to 20,000 RO profiles per day. Not only do CubeSats offer the technology needed to increase observation efficiency, but they also enable persistent global coverage, including over the poles, which are not within the collection footprint of the current COSMIC constellation.

Miniaturizing weather mission payloads for CubeSat constellations

In the race to collect more advanced weather data from space, no strategy has proven more effective than reducing the costs and resources needed to launch satellites into orbit – and CubeSats are the perfect example. With less investment required to develop satellites, companies and governments can devote their money and resources to miniaturized payloads – broadly enhancing observation technology or developing technology with a more defined purpose.

Spire Global operates the world’s largest multi-purpose constellation of small satellites. The fleet currently consists of over 100+ nanosatellites, each about the size of a shoebox and weighing approximately 6 kg. The dramatic decrease in size and weight not only allows for cheaper and more standardized launch vehicle interfaces and requirements, but the cost of each satellite is orders of magnitude less than nearly all other traditional satellites. With minimal costs and launch requirements, teams can now focus their resources on developing enhanced payload technologies.

One such example of enhanced satellite technology is radio occultation (RO) payloads. Radio occultation data improve weather forecasting and climate change monitoring by creating detailed profiles of the atmosphere’s temperature, pressure, and humidity. According to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Spire’s radio occultation data was among the top five factors that reduced errors in their weather predictions. The UK Met Office also reported significant improvements in weather forecasting once they introduced Spire RO data to their network.

Spire’s constellation architecture enables global coverage, including over the poles, dramatically increasing the amount of raw, near real-time data available for weather modeling. Spire equipped the constellation with payload technology that collects over 10,000 radio occultation measurements per day and a GNSS-Reflectometry payload that gathers critical sea ice and soil moisture data. In addition to atmospheric and Earth surface information, Spire’s satellites also collect ionospheric information that feeds into space weather and space domain awareness models. With new multi-million dollar NOAA and NASA weather data contracts recently awarded to Spire Global and the aim to reach up to 100,000 radio occultations per day, Spire is on track to make groundbreaking improvements in weather prediction accuracy for organizations across the globe.

The successes of space-based weather observation and data collection have never been so significant. And we’re doing it with smaller technology than ever before – a 6kg satellite.

What key lessons have you learned and what are the key takeaways?

Spire has changed the way we develop.

As an example, at an early stage in the project we wanted to buy a piece of equipment that would simulate the ways signals behave in space – a channel emulator. There are two or three companies in the world that make these devices, largely building these for government customers. We quickly found the cost to be prohibitive at no less than 300,000 Euros. Now we don’t need this equipment because we don’t need to emulate the space environment, we are actually able to test in space.

Being able to test in space is unique and has been an absolute game-changer.

There is a strong start-up spirit at Spire too, so working with the team has been refreshing. There’s now a different way of building a space business – the movement of ideas, to solutions, to execution is measured in days, not even weeks or months. There has been a paradigm shift and Spire and Orbitare are at the heart of it.

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Suspicious signals: Seek and we shall find

The prevalence of GPS jamming in conflict zones has increased dramatically in recent years, with evidence of effective jamming of U.S. aircraft in Syria, North Korea, and other countries. It is becoming increasingly important to U.S. military interests to effectively detect and locate sources of GPS jamming and spoofing to ensure warfighter safety.

Jamming happens when an intentionally produced radio frequency (RF) signal blocks a true satellite signal so the receiver no longer operates, preventing the transmission of critical data. Spoofing happens when an RF signal mimics a true signal, causing the signal to display false information. GPS technology has been vulnerable to jamming and spoofing for years due to the weak signal from GPS satellites.

The jamming and spoofing problem

GPS signals can be jammed or spoofed relatively easily and for low cost, and methods are evolving. For example, truckers across the U.S. can purchase $10 GPS jammers to prevent their employers from tracking their movements. USAF F-35s in Israeli airspace experienced jamming from an air base in Syria in 2019. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military drills consisting of 40,000 troops from all 29 member states in the Baltic Sea also experienced jamming.

The Center for Advanced Defense (C4ADS) studies analyzed automatic identification system (AIS) data and discovered that hundreds of vessels were spoofed while navigating the Huangpu River in Shanghai. Conventional spoofing can be overt (jam-then-spoof strategy in which the false signal is broadcast at a significantly higher power level than the authentic signal) or covert (the counterfeit signal is aligned with the true signal and its power level is increased to overtake the true signal). In the Shanghai spoofing incidents, GPS signals were congregated into large circles called “crop circles” that created confusion in maritime traffic.

Above: Anomalous AIS Activity Clusters Near Chinese Coast

Cutting edge technology and research for GPS jamming detection and geolocation solutions

Spire’s growing constellation of CubeSats carries flexible, software-defined radios that can be harnessed for detecting and geolocating signals of interest. 

Most existing methods offer ground or wifi-based PNT solutions that are effective in preventing jamming and spoofing techniques due to the powerful signals they put out. Spire has actively researched and tested our capabilities based on a low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of nanosatellites, with recent success in detecting cooperative GPS jamming signals validated by our customers.

Spire 3U GNSS-RO satellite

The Spire GNSS reflectometry (GNSS-R) instrument – used to study GNSS signals that are reflected or scattered by the Earth’s surface – is a flexible SDR receiver mated with two high-gain nadir-oriented L-band antennas that can capture both raw recordings and make precise measurements of GNSS signals emanating from the Earth’s surface. Additionally, the zenith L-band antenna is dual-frequency (L1/L2), allowing for precise positioning of Spire satellites. Consequently, variants of the Spire GNSS-R satellites are well-suited to detect and geolocate GNSS jammer sources.

Spire GNSS-R Batch 2 satellite

Spire can extend the capability of its GNSS-R payload to detect GPS jammers and leverage our LEMURs in flying formation to geolocate the emissions. Spire is actively studying and preparing to demonstrate on-orbit GPS jammer detection in multi and single satellite receiving scenarios.

A study on LEO orbit GNSS interference monitoring found that multi-satellite and single satellite interference monitoring were effective for accurately detecting and tracking GNSS signals. The multi-satellite geolocation approach involves two LEO satellites flying in parallel formation. A suite of other geolocation techniques can be readily used when there are three or more satellites. Spire is currently applying state-of-the-art hybrid time difference of arrival  (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) approaches to provide RF geolocation when multiple satellites have simultaneously received the signal-of-interest.

The single satellite approach uses only Doppler-based measurements to converge on an unambiguous geolocation solution. The single satellite approach is inherently more difficult, but it is a more cost-effective and infrastructure-friendly alternative to the multi-satellite approach. Spire geolocation experts have devised ways to improve accuracy and mitigate risks presented from single satellite geolocation.

A standard scenario for RF Emitter Geolocation. The red dot is the emitter while the satellite moves overhead in black. The sub-satellite path and range vectors are in cyan while the antenna footprints are also shown at time zero (black dots) and five seconds later (light green dots).

Spire’s RF geolocation expert, Dr. Patrick Ellis, published a recent paper illustrating an experimental passive geolocation solution for a single satellite to perform in single-pass, single transmission, short duration scenarios that are computationally feasible to accommodate real-time processing. The technique involves a two step RF emitter geolocation processing chain that estimates Doppler and Doppler Rate and then maps these measurements to an unknown emitter location utilizing a nonlinear filtering approach. Adaptation of this single satellite approach for geolocating GPS jammers is ongoing.

Spire successfully detects threat signals with GNSS-RO satellites

In April, and on just a few days notice, Spire successfully leveraged a multi-satellite capability demonstration for a U.S. government customer. Three GNSS radio occultation (RO) satellites were tasked to collect raw Intermediate Frequency (IF) data during active jamming tests at a location within the continental U.S. The antenna polarization and orientation of Spire’s 3U RO CubeSats proved to be suitable for detecting signals from certain GPS jammers. After initial analysis, the customer validated that Spire detected the jammer using our GNSS-RO satellites.

At least two satellite passes were aligned spatially and temporally to observe the active jammer, and the satellites were rapidly tasked to collect raw IF data.  The first set of downloaded data showed a distinct increase in spectral activity in the GPS L1 band. Upon further analysis, the expected real PRN signals and evidence of false PRN broadcasts were shown. The observed Doppler of all false PRNs matched the expected Doppler characteristics of a jammer located at the designated test location. Spire concluded and the customer validated that the collected signals were, indeed, the jamming signals from the designated test location. Spire’s first GPS jamming detection test was successful.

Spire has proven our ability to detect GPS jamming signals. The next step is to successfully geolocate the point of origin utilizing the techniques discussed earlier. Spire has already launched and is operating over 40 geolocation-capable satellites providing us with an edge over other providers in this space that are still in early R&D stages. We are confident that our constellation can provide reliable, accurate, and cost-effective geolocation and interference monitoring services to the defense community.

Dominating the battlespace with CubeSats

Spire’s LEO nanosatellite constellation is poised to provide GNSS jamming detection and geolocation in terms of price, signal strength, accuracy, and coverage. Spire’s LEMUR-2 3U CubeSat bus is proven and ready.

GPS jamming and spoofing geolocation is a mission critical capability that puts adversaries on notice and encourages trust between warfighters and modern technology, especially artificial intelligence. As Spire expands our payload offerings, tests our capabilities with new use cases, and reimagines what it means to operate in space, we will focus our innovative efforts on solving the next big problem with small satellites.

Smarter early warning systems

The ability to recognise patterns and spot anomalies is valuable in any sector but there are some where it is business critical, such as maritime industry or weather predictions.

Using the AI computing platforms to enhance data processing capabilities onboard small satellites would make it easier to i.e. detect illegal shipping activities, distress signals from planes and vessels or autonomously detect and assess the probability of a hurricane or tsunami, immediately tasking data collection from the right location and sensor, and initiating direct download to the ground to deliver the warning.

The big picture

By leveraging the major technological leaps in electronics miniaturisation, small satellite operators have drastically reduced the cost of space services while maintaining high quality performance. Space services providers have moved quickly in response to demand for commercially-viable Earth intelligence data, delivered through optical, radar, or any other sensors, with immediate applications across a range of sectors.

As we generate more and more data, corporations, governments and other organisations are becoming aware of the limits on their current processing capabilities. Analysis often falls to human operators and the scale of what is required means their staffing and IT resources cannot keep pace. In short, they struggle to create the systems and processes required to efficiently understand the flood of data relayed back to Earth and put it to use.

As we create ‘digital twins’ of our planet, advances in AI-assisted on-board processing of space sensor data mean we can offload the burden on ground stations and other infrastructure, and allocate more resources to the smart analysis of critical information. Satellites will autonomously prioritise what data is downloaded first to reduce latency, as well as direct sensors and provide actionable insights that far exceed current capabilities.

Nanosatellites sweep the MagQuest challenge

In March 2019, the United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) launched the MagQuest competition, inviting innovators to submit new ideas for collecting geomagnetic data for the World Magnetic Model (WMM). Entries could take any approach so long as they improved the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of data collection. When NGA announced the winners a little over a year later, three entries shared one essential feature: nanosatellites.

The competition’s results demonstrate just how far nanosatellites have come from their early days in the 1990s as university teaching and research tools. Today, the competition’s judges and winners—including Spire Global and SBQuantum’s joint team—trusted the compact devices to handle the demands of a science-grade mission with far-reaching national security implications.

The WMM is a representation of the Earth’s magnetic field. It’s used in essential public and military systems, including mobile navigation applications, surveying tools, antennas, solar panels, and even GPS. The model provides a key complement to GPS through magnetic navigation, which is critical since adverse space weather and ionospheric conditions can disrupt GPS signals.

With so many vital technologies relying on the model, accurate and reliable data collection is paramount. The model currently uses data collected by the European Space Agency Swarm mission, which was launched in 2013 and is expected to conclude in 2021.

For the sake of sustainability, the NGA is using the MagQuest challenges to analyze data collection alternatives for the future. If the nanosatellites prevail, then the 30-centimeter-long, 10-kilogram devices should provide comparable service as the Swarm mission’s roughly 9-meter-long, 500-kilogram satellites.

While NGA looks ahead, reliable nanosatellite infrastructure is accessible to governments and businesses now through a range of orbital services from hosted payloads and space platforms as a service, to fully tailored and purpose-built satellites and their operations. With these services, clients can fit sensing devices into commercial nanosatellites and run demanding data collection operations from space.

Working together works better

Spire is proud to have partnered with SBQuantum in the MagQuest challenge, submitting a joint entry that tied for second place. Working together demonstrated one of the primary benefits of orbital services: collaboration.

The two organizations combined their specialties, each contributing a critical component of the solution. SBQuantum brought industry-leading expertise in magnetometers, creating a novel sensor that exploits the “quantum properties of atomic impurities in synthetic diamonds,” said David Roy-Guay, the company’s CEO, in a conversation with MagQuest.

Spire contributed satellite operations and space systems engineering expertise to the partnership. First, we created a special 6U bus—six times the size of the standard 10-centimeter cube and twice the size of a standard Spire 3U satellite—to accommodate the magnetometer’s long boom. Next, the critical satellite components were tested in SBQuantum’s Canadian lab to ensure that the system was suitable for highly accurate magnetic field measurements.

Finally, we combined the satellite systems with our global ground station network and cloud-based storage and computing infrastructure to bring data down from orbit, process the measurements, and provide access to end-users through easy-to-use APIs.

“It was clear that our two teams would make solid partners for MagQuest,” said Roy-Guay. “We combine extended Concept of Operations (ConOps) expertise and a highly innovative approach to providing high-accuracy data, as required to produce the WMM.”

Bringing together both companies’ expertise provided NGA a reliable and secure solution with the benefit of rapid scalability. These three core benefits are offered to clients through Spire’s orbital services solution.

Ready today and always reliable

By hosting your payload on a proven platform, you can focus more time and resources on developing your device instead of worrying about the satellite’s infrastructure. Spire has spent the last several years building, testing, and honing our nanosatellites. We’ve built over 150+ satellites in our vertically integrated facilities and operate 100+ in orbit today. Collectively, our satellites have logged over 260 years of space flight heritage, proving to be an excellent platform for many objectives. We collect maritime and aviation data, weather variables, and even Earth information. We’re ready to add your mission to the list.

Scale up, and up, and up

We learned how to scale up operations by expanding our constellation to include over 100+ satellites. Testing and development are fast on Spire’s nanosatellites. Some can be built in just ten days, helping to cut down the overall time and cost to launch your payload. And by partnering with multiple launch partners, we offer clients more opportunities to get their devices into space.

Spire nanosatellites in production

Once in orbit, we continually update our flight software to increase performance and add capabilities. Our automated constellation operations and cloud-managed data processing further optimize performance and efficiency. Together, this can help customers enjoy regular productivity boosts without the cost of buying, building, or launching new hardware. And our network of more than 29 ground stations around the world provides frequent contact with payloads for data retrieval and any updates you might have.

Security above all else

Data security is essential for almost every aspect of government missions and company operations today. That’s why we offer end-to-end data encryption. It helps protect data pipeline security, from space to your data interface. And since we design and build our satellites in-house, we also manage a secure payload integration process.

We are excited about the outcome of the MagQuest challenge and the future nanosatellites will play in supporting the critical mission of geomagnetic data collection. One thing the competition has made clear today, however, is that nanosatellite platforms pack the performance to take on your ambitious missions.

Rapid testing on a reliable platform

As mentioned earlier, the CubeSat platform has been honed over many years and across applications. Its proven performance and reliability helps ensure you only need to focus on designing and testing your payload, without having to worry about the surrounding technology.

Better yet, you can iterate and test more rapidly with smaller satellites. At Spire, we can build our CubeSats in just ten days, cutting down the overall timeline from design to launch to just six months. And once in space, CubeSats can be continuously updated to enhance their operational software and data processing capabilities.

“New technologies may be continually incorporated into space systems using hosted payloads,” said the GAO.

Safety in numbers

Nothing is more important than resilience and security. Hosting mission-critical payloads over a constellation of satellites supports operational safety.

“A target set composed of a large number of small satellites will be harder to disable or disrupt than one composed of a small number of large satellites,” according to the CNAS.

Furthermore, Spire’s Orbital Services offerings include built-in, end-to-end data encryption. This adds a layer of protection, from satellites down to customers, that complements their native data security systems. And since we design and build our satellites in-house, we also manage secure payload integration.

A small way to cut big costs

Depending on large satellites to continuously advance payload capabilities can come at a cost—a high one. Traditional development schedules can be expensive and take years, and should something go wrong, replacing devices might call for another costly round of production. Hosted payloads on CubeSats can be a more affordable alternative.

With our cutting-edge CubeSat technology and rapid manufacturing process, Spire can offer government customers an inexpensive hosted payload solution. This helps ensure expanding operations and upgrading technology stays affordable, and rapid replenishment is economically viable. They are light in weight, and on your budget sheet.

“Some government agencies have reported saving hundreds of millions of dollars to date from using innovative arrangements such as hosted payloads,” said the GAO.