NASA Taps PlanetiQ for $3.3 Million Space Weather Data Contract

The contract builds upon NASA’s decision last June to include PlanetiQ in its CSDA On-Ramp 2 program. By measuring how navigation satellite signals bend and slow through the atmosphere, the company provides detailed profiles of weather conditions. Their proprietary GNSS-PRO technology adds a layer of precision by analyzing dual-polarization components, which allows researchers to distinguish between rain and snowfall with high vertical resolution.

Beyond precipitation, the data will track the total number of electrons between satellites. These ionospheric measurements are critical for identifying disturbances that interfere with global communication and navigation systems. Dr. E. Robert Kursinski, PlanetiQ’s chief scientist, noted that this global dataset offers a new method for quantifying cloud and weather structures, providing scientists with deeper insights into the complex interactions occurring in the upper atmosphere.