Spire wins $33.2M NOAA weather-data deal, could double to $66M
What's the deal? Spire Global has secured US$21.5M contract from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to supply atmospheric data for two years. Running from December 1, 2026 to December 1, 2028, the deal could reach roughly $66m if NOAA exercises all unfunded purchase options.
What does Spire do? The Luxembourg-backed space company will provide NOAA with GNSS radio-occultation data, gathered by observing how satellite navigation signals distort as they pass through the atmosphere. That distortion yields vertical profiles of temperature, pressure, and humidity — including over oceans and regions where ground-based observations are scarce.
The data, transmitted almost in real time, will feed NOAA's operational forecasting models and may support space weather forecasting, universities, and other agencies.
By the numbers: The fixed amount equals 46% of Spire'US$52.5M in 2025 revenue, though the company has not indicated how quickly it will recognise the income across the two-year term. Spire ended 2025 with US$16.2M net loss in the fourth quarter alone.
Why now? The deal extends an earlier $3.7m order secured in August, which covers September 18 to December 1, 2026 and ensures continuity until the new agreement begins. NOAA had already awarded Spire $11.2m for this type of data in 2025.
What's the endgame? The contract falls under the US Space-Based Environmental Monitoring programme, a framework shared among several suppliers with a maximum value of $8bn. Spire was shortlisted in four technology categories — radio occultation, GNSS reflectometry, hyperspectral microwave atmospheric sounding, and upper-atmosphere density measurement — giving it access to bid for future work over an initial five-year period.
The Luxembourg link: Spire keeps an office in Luxembourg and remains a portfolio company of the co-investment sub-fund of the Luxembourg Future FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which is 80% financed by the Société nationale de crédit et d'investissementDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and 20% by the European Investment Fund.
The signal: US weather forecasting is leaning more heavily on commercial satellites, and for Spire the deal ranks among its largest recent contracts. The $8bn framework signals a widening public market for privately gathered space data — though it guarantees no future orders.
Read more: delano.lu
Image credit: Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
