Contracts for NOAA Sounder for Microwave-Based Applications Study Awarded by NASA
Four Companies Will Participate in Phase-A Study
NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has awarded four contracts to conduct NOAA’s Sounder for Microwave-Based Applications (SMBA) Phase-A study.
"The NOAA LEOS program series is facilitating a new phase of Earth observation driven by technology, innovation and a commitment to understanding our planet’s dynamic systems.”
Chuck Cash, Spire Global
The firm-fixed-price contracts allow for a Phase A definition study and design development as part of SMBA formulation activities. The period of performance runs 12 months.
NOAA’s Near-Earth Orbit Network (NEON) program is responsible for SMBA instruments, the next generation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) microwave sounders. Microwave sounders provide critical data on the physical properties of our atmosphere, such as temperature and moisture, which heavily influence weather patterns and enable the NOAA National Weather Service’s numerical weather models to forecast weather three days in the future and beyond.
The NEON Program will supplement and eventually replace NOAA’s Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). JPSS will continue to operate its series of polar orbiting satellites through the late 2030’s. NEON will lay the groundwork for the next generation of LEO satellites long before the final JPSS launch takes place. NEON will continue, improve and extend NESDIS’ global observations for weather forecasting, disaster management, and climate monitoring.
SMBA would fly on NOAA’s NEON program series of LEO satellites with the first launch planned in 2030.
The contractors selected and contract amounts are:
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado – $5 million
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Falls Church, Virginia – $4,995,327
Orbital Micro Systems Inc., Boulder, Colorado – $4,996,530
Spire Global Subsidiary Inc., Vienna, Virginia – $4,655,000
The government would execute SMBA Phases B-D on a separate contract vehicle if the decision is made to proceed after Phase A.
"The NOAA LEOS program series is facilitating a new phase of Earth observation driven by technology, innovation and a commitment to understanding our planet’s dynamic systems,” said Chuck Cash, Vice President of Federal Sales at Spire. “We’re proud to leverage Spire’s expertise in satellite technology to advance Earth observation and empower meteorologists, scientists and researchers with more precise insights into atmospheric properties.”
NEON is a collaborative mission between NASA and NOAA. NOAA, as the mission lead, provides funding, technical requirements and post-launch operations. NASA will manage the development of the satellites and launch them for NOAA, which will operate them and deliver data to users worldwide. NOAA and NASA will work with commercial partners to design and build the NEON spacecraft and instruments.