Spire Secures $13.7M in NOAA Contracts

Two Big Wins for Spire and Commercial Satellite Data

Spire Global (NYSE: SPIR), one of our portfolio companies, has been awarded two major contracts from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Together worth US$13.7 million, these awards position Spire as a key commercial supplier of near real-time atmospheric and oceanic data to some of the world’s most influential public agencies.

We’ve backed Spire since the early days, and this milestone speaks volumes about where the commercial space sector is heading, especially for dual-use Earth observation capabilities.

US$11.1M for Global Atmospheric Profiles via GNSS-RO

The first contract, valued at US$11.19 million, will see Spire deliver GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) RO (Radio Occultation) data over a one-year period starting 18 September 2025. This dataset provides vertical snapshots of the atmosphere, including temperature, pressure, and humidity, that are essential for reliable weather and space weather models.

Agencies across the U.S. government, including NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, will be using this data operationally. That is a huge testament to the reliability and maturity of Spire’s tech.

US$2.5M Pilot to Track Ocean Surface Winds with GNSS-R

The second contract is a nine-month pilot worth US$2.5 million. This project focuses on GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) data, which helps monitor ocean surface wind speeds, a vital input for hurricane forecasting, marine safety, and winter storm prediction.

It is part of NOAA’s Commercial Weather Data Pilot programme, aimed at testing how commercial sources can enhance national weather models.

A Signal of Growing Government–Commercial Collaboration

NOAA awarding these contracts to Spire sends a strong signal: public agencies are increasingly turning to commercial providers for mission-critical data. Here is why that matters:

• Dual-use relevance: The same data used for forecasting can also support defence, logistics, and climate adaptation.
• Operational integration: This is not a one-off experiment. It is part of a long-term shift to bring commercial data into core forecasting systems.
• Repeatable revenue: For space companies, it is proof that public sector demand can be scaled and sustained.

This shift is one we have been anticipating and building toward across our whole portfolio.

Why We Are Excited as Investors

We backed Spire because we believed in the future of real-time, global Earth intelligence. These contracts reinforce that vision, showing:

• That commercial space companies can win major government contracts at scale.
• That dual-use business models work, blending civil, defence, and commercial use cases.
• That this is just the beginning. NOAA’s frameworks are becoming long-term pipelines for high-quality commercial data.

For us, it is not just a win for Spire, it is validation for the wider SpaceTech ecosystem we are helping to build.

What Spire’s Leadership Is Saying

“Spire’s satellites and radio occultation data are uniquely positioned to deliver the atmospheric insights needed to tackle today’s complex weather challenges,” said Theresa Condor, CEO. “Our continued work with NOAA underscores the importance of government–commercial partnerships in advancing weather forecasting and highlights NOAA’s commitment to harnessing innovation to improve forecasts and build climate resilience.”

Looking Ahead: What This Means for SpaceTech

These NOAA contracts confirm that commercial Earth observation is becoming a core part of how governments understand and manage the planet.

For Spire, this opens the door to deeper government integration. For us, it is another step toward building a global ecosystem where commercial space delivers on climate, security, and resilience.