Under the agreement, Precursor SPC will integrate Spire’s RO profiles into its AI/ML-driven ionospheric nowcasting system to enable assured attribution and continuous, real-time hypersonic tracking across all phases of flight.

Hypersonic vehicles operate at extreme speeds and altitudes, where rapidly changing atmospheric and ionospheric conditions can impact tracking, communications, and overall mission performance. Traditional sensing systems, including radar and infrared, are not designed to fully characterize these environmental effects in real time.

“The complexity of hypersonic threats demands that we move beyond static models and embrace real-time, environmental intelligence,” said Quintin Jones, head of North America and VP, Spire Global. “By providing a persistent layer of ‘invisible intelligence’ from our constellation, we are proud to work with partners like Precursor SPC turn atmospheric volatility from a tactical blind spot into a strategic advantage.”

Precursor’s platform uses AI/ML fusion to combine GNSS, ionosondes, RO, and other data sources to generate continuous, real-time ionospheric nowcasts. These nowcasts provide critical insight into environmental conditions that can shift in seconds and directly impact operational decision-making.

“Our partnership with Spire represents a significant step toward delivering a next-generation capability for hypersonic tracking,” said Clive Cook, CEO of Precursor SPC. “By integrating Spire’s RO data with our real-time nowcasting platform, we are addressing a critical gap in today’s operational environment to support more accurate tracking and the evolving needs of the warfighter.”

Source: Spire Global

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“We are on the verge of proving that small, affordable satellites can deliver the high-quality magnetic data our nation depends on,” said Mike Paniccia, NGA’s program manager for the World Magnetic Model. “These teams have spent the past few years pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with CubeSat technology, and this launch is the moment where all of that ingenuity meets the ultimate test.”

This mission represents the first-ever effort to collect reliable geomagnetic data using CubeSat technology. Once in orbit, the three CubeSats, equipped with novel solutions for precisely measuring Earth’s magnetic field, will provide data to update the World Magnetic Model — a critical infrastructure that underpins navigation for military operations, commercial aviation, and everyday mobile devices worldwide.

The current World Magnetic Model, WMM2025, is maintained using data from the European Space Agency’s Swarm mission, launched in 2013. NGA launched the MagQuest competition in 2019, seeking new, more resilient ways to collect geomagnetic data.

The CubeSat solutions developed through MagQuest can be built, launched, and operated for a fraction of the cost of the current system. MagQuest also demonstrates the effectiveness of open innovation and interagency collaboration in tackling a vital national security challenge.  Testing facilities and experts at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, supported technology evaluations and analysis; NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation administered the challenge; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information provided technical support.

MagQuest’s open innovation approach intentionally attracted novel solutions from a unique group of innovators. Each team has developed a distinct CubeSat solution for collecting high-quality geomagnetic data from low-Earth orbit:

• Compact Spaceborne Magnetic Observatory CubeSat, University of Colorado Boulder
• Diamond-Powered Geomagnetic Data Collection from LEO, Spire Global and SBQuantum
• Io-1, Iota Technology

The teams delivered their completed satellites to Exolaunch for final integration for launch. Following a successful launch and satellite deployment, each team will begin geomagnetic data collection and compare their findings to WMM2025.

An expert review panel will evaluate each team’s data across key milestones. The results of MagQuest will inform NGA’s acquisition strategy for a WMM global magnetic field data collection capability, to support production of the next global update, WMM2030.

Source: NGA

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These satellites will support Deloitte’s on-orbit cyber payloads, as well as its space data capabilities for commercial and government clients. The mission consists of eight satellites with advanced radio frequency and geolocation payloads, as well as serving as a platform for advancing Deloitte’s Silent Shield mission to further innovate in satellite vehicle defense and resilience.

“We’re in an exciting era where space is enabling unprecedented innovation. By working with Deloitte, we’re bringing next generation capabilities to orbit by deploying small satellites that can be built in months, not years,” said Theresa Condor, CEO at Spire. “This approach helps our customers to move quickly, experiment, and stay agile as their needs change. By combining Spire’s trusted satellite infrastructure with Deloitte’s vision and leadership in the field, this program moves us closer to building more resilient and adaptable space-based assets for commercial and defense markets.”

Earlier this year, Deloitte launched its first satellite, Deloitte-1, on the SpaceX Transporter-13 mission as part of its Silent Shield program. Spire has collaborated with Deloitte to test and validate Deloitte’s cyber intrusion detection system payload for satellites in orbit, strengthening the resilience and security of space systems against cyber threats. Silent Shield utilizes Spire’s advanced satellite technology, helping Deloitte study real-time satellite signaling patterns and evaluate the detection and mitigation of cyber anomalies.

“Spire’s integrated technology gives us a powerful and relevant platform to engineer, test, validate, and refine our on-orbit cyber solutions with the goal of advancing the cyber resiliency of on-orbit assets with edge cyber detection and response,” said Brett Loubert, leader of Deloitte’s U.S. Space practice. “As space becomes even more critical to our technology and security, our focus on cyber resilience and reliable access to space data enables our clients to operate even more confidently and adapt to more sophisticated threats.”

Spire’s Space Services model and robust space infrastructure offers end-to-end satellite manufacturing, launch management, and operational capabilities. With over 34 ground stations and a partner ground station network, Spire offers secure, encrypted data transmission to Deloitte’s cloud environment.

Source: Spire

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After 12 years at the helm of the company, Platzer’s tenure as CEO was marked with several milestones, including rapidly scaling the Company from $10 million to more than $100 million in revenue and taking it public. He also oversaw the company’s recent agreement to sell its maritime business for approximately $241 million, which Spire intends to use to retire all outstanding debt and invest in near-term growth opportunities. As executive chairman, Platzer will guide Spire’s vision and lead the board of directors, as well as focus on securing major opportunities to drive the company’s growth strategy, the company said.

Condor, who was part of the company’s founding team, has led the expansion of Spire’s solution offerings and business lines, growing the company’s customer base to more than 745 customers across 65 countries. As CEO, she intends to lead Spire into its next phase of growth with a focus on streamlining operations and strong execution at scale.

“Peter has an incredible vision for how satellite technology and space can improve our lives here on Earth, and that vision has guided the growth of Spire since the company was founded,” said Will Porteous, Spire board member. “Theresa has been instrumental in turning that vision into reality. She has a deep understanding of Spire’s customers, the business, and its operations that will be transformational for the company as it enters this next phase of growth as an increasingly profitable company.”

The company has appointed two aerospace industry veterans to join its executive bench. Celia Pelaz, a former Airbus executive, will serve as chief operating officer, assuming responsibility for the company’s revenue and operations. Most recently, Pelaz served as COO and a member of the management board of HENSOLDT AG, which focuses on sensor technologies for defense and security missions. Pelaz played a major role in the carve-out of HENSOLDT from the Airbus Group in 2017, its successful IPO in 2020 and shaping the strategic direction of the company.

Gabriel Oehme will serve as chief transformation officer. Oehme spent 22 years at Airbus in roles including operations, business development, procurement and sales. Most recently, he served as managing director and chief commercial officer of Aerotech Peissenberg, an aerospace manufacturing company specializing in high-quality, zero defect precision machining at scale, where he oversaw the commercial business as well as operations and manufacturing. During his tenure, he drove business growth in civil and military aerospace markets while boosting company profitability and efficiency.

“Celia and Gabriel bring invaluable institutional knowledge of the aerospace industry and a wealth of expertise in operations, having effectively managed businesses centered on manufacturing and engineering,” said Condor. “With our recent agreement to sell our maritime business, we are at a transformational point as we seek to become a debt-free company with proven space infrastructure and technology. We are in a strong position to capitalize on significant near-term opportunities that generate long-term value. Celia and Gabriel’s experience will be integral in helping us seize these opportunities through focused execution and operational excellence at scale.”

Source: Spire Global

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“We are proud to continue our partnership with the Government of Canada, providing them with our AIS data services to gain unrivaled coverage of the open ocean and shores,” said John Lusk, general manager of maritime, Spire. “This contract reflects the trust that government agencies worldwide place in our technology and our commitment to delivering reliable, near real-time data that meets their stringent requirements.”

Under the contract, Spire will share its real-time global ship tracking data, providing unparalleled visibility in both open oceans and high-traffic zones. The company will also provide historical AIS data as well as its AIS position validation capabilities, which leans on its expertise in radio frequency geolocation to determine the true location of a ship even when its signal is manipulated.

The data will be used by a variety of agencies and departments within the Canadian government, including the Canadian Space Agency, the Department of National Defense, Transport Canada, and the Canadian Coast Guard. Spire offers the highest volume of AIS messages tracked by satellite.

Source: Spire Global

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Spire Space Services allows organizations to deploy and scale their own satellite constellation at maximum speed and reliably, all through a subscription model that eliminates the high upfront cost of building and maintaining infrastructure in space.

Onboard the launch, Spire Space Services had satellites for:

• GHGSat: Spire launched three satellites carrying payloads to monitor greenhouse gas emissions for GHGSat, including the first commercial CO2 sensor and two sensors dedicated to methane monitoring. This innovation marks the beginning in frequent, precise and independent high-resolution CO2 data collection, revolutionizing carbon emissions monitoring.
• HiSky: Ella 1, a satellite designed to showcase the capabilities of hiSky’sSmartellite ground network, also launched on the mission. The satellite will demonstrate hiSky network’s ability to switch between geostationary (GEO) satellites and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, allowing them to offer low data rate connectivity for IoT and high data rate connectivity for substantial data transfers.
• Jacobs: Spire launched two satellites for Jacobs, a leader in advanced manufacturing, critical infrastructure, health & life sciences and national security. Jacobs has developed and is delivering cost-effective and resilient radio frequency (RF) signal detection and processing systems through Jacobs Mango Series Payload (MSP) as part of an integrated system with Spire. Jacobs embarked on its space payload vision in 2018, and has rapidly achieved space qualification of their space radar systems. Jacobs’ agile design methodology provides maximum payload flexibility ensuring advanced, affordable space radar solutions.
• SNC: Spire also launched the Vindlér satellite constellation consisting of four satellites carrying radio frequency (RF) technology for SNC. Vindlér is designed to detect and geolocate specific objects from LEO based on targeted RF emissions ranging from VHF to L-band. Vindlér can be used to locate emitters of interest throughout the world and can be used to track dark vessels, GPS jammers and more in support of national security efforts.

“This launch marks a milestone for us, hosting the largest number of space services customers on a single mission to date,” said Frank Frulio, the general manager of space services at Spire. “Rather than viewing space as an escape from Earth’s challenges, we see it as a source of invaluable insights and data for addressing our planet’s most pressing issues. Through Spire Space Services, we’re streamlining space access so that any organization can tap into the benefits of space-based data.”

LEMUR 2 NANAZ was launched as part of the mission, showcasing Spire’s capability to track and gather information from terrestrial and space-based signals emitted by Next-Generation Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) broadband internet constellations. It aims to harvest data for in-depth analyses of Ku and Ka-band spectrum usage across diverse applications, regions, and markets, identifying specific activities and behavioral patterns. The payload validates Spire’s radio frequency monitoring technology, extending signal collection up to 30GHz with enhanced capabilities.

Source: Spire

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The post Spire Global launches satellites on SpaceX Transporter-9 appeared first on Intelligence Community News.

The DEEP-SDA project aims to address the critical issue of space domain awareness by harnessing the power of existing star trackers and data to develop a software tool to enable the USSF to characterize and detect objects in low Earth orbit (LEO). Spire will be the leading provider of star tracker imagery, and all data will be used in direct support of the Joint Task Force-Space Defense Commercial Operations Cell (JCO), a specialized Space Force unit that works with commercial space data.

“As activity in space increases, monitoring it is critical for the safety, security and sustainability of our space domain,” said Chuck Cash, vice president of federal sales at Spire. “With our star tracker imagery, Riverside Research can more accurately provide space domain awareness for the JCO and USSF.”

Star trackers are optical sensors utilized on satellites to precisely determine and maintain their orientation in space. Spire’s star trackers capture images of celestial bodies, particularly stars, within the satellite’s field of view.

Source: Spire Global

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Led by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, MagQuest is a multi-million dollar competition to find more accurate and efficient ways to map the earth’s electromagnetic field, also known as the World Magnetic Model (WMM). Aircraft, ships, cars and trucks, along with billions of smartphone users rely on the WMM every day for navigational purposes. However, as shifts in the Earth’s magnetic field continue to accelerate, the WMM must be monitored more closely, and updated more often to ensure the model’s accuracy, while keeping people and goods flowing safely.

“It is an honor for us to be invited to participate in the final phase of this prestigious competition. We see this as a validation of our years of unwavering work in developing our diamond-powered quantum magnetometer and compensation algorithms,” said David Roy-Guay, CEO and co-founder of SBQuantum. “Testing the instrument in space represents a fantastic opportunity to show the entire industry what we have built, and to highlight the tremendous potential of quantum-enabled sensors not only for aerospace, but for various other industry verticals as well.”

The MagQuest Challenge resumes this month for its final phase, which includes testing of the 3 remaining solutions. SBQuantum’s offering combines its diamond-powered quantum magnetometer with a suite of reference sensors to train a machine learning algorithm, which compensates for magnetic field interference. The solution is designed to provide more accurate measurements of the WMM, with increased frequency than existing spaceborne applications. Furthermore, pre-test analysis indicates that the SBQuantum magnetometer will potentially provide stable and accurate readings for the WMM in excess of 10-times longer than today’s sensors.

“The MagQuest challenge is a prime example of how satellite technology plays a crucial role in powering technology and systems that each and every one of us use on a near-daily basis,” said Chuck Cash, vice president of federal sales at Spire. “We’re proud to leverage Spire’s expertise in satellite technology and existing infrastructure for manufacturing, ground stations, and data processing with SBQuantum’s magnetometer technology to provide a novel and more accurate solution to collect geomagnetic data.”

SBQuantum’s diamond magnetometer leverages quantum properties to reduce drifts such as those induced by temperature constraints which can distort readings from today’s classical technologies. The diamond crystal contains four sensing axes in a very small volume at the atomic scale, and the amplitude and direction of its magnetic field measurements provides high accuracy with no blind spots. The device’s use of quantum effects also provides a greater accuracy than existing technologies. By applying a green laser and microwaves to the diamond, a red glow is generated which translates directly to the magnetic field vector measurements at the basis of the WMM.

The final phase of the MagQuest Challenge runs from September 2023, with a launch of all the finalists’ solutions into space for testing purposes, planned for mid-2025.

Source: SBQuantum

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The post SBQuantum and Spire to participate in MagQuest final phase appeared first on Intelligence Community News.

MagQuest is a multiphase open innovation challenge designed to accelerate new ideas to increase the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of geomagnetic data. During this phase of the challenge, Spire will design, develop and launch a satellite that will provide a novel approach to geomagnetic data collection for the World Magnetic Model (WMM). The satellite will carry a first-of-its-kind diamond quantum magnetometer system developed by SBQuantum. Spire will demonstrate operations of the satellite system and provide data to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for assessment.

The WMM is used every day around the world and is embedded in thousands of systems. More than a billion smartphone users depend on the WMM for mobile navigation apps, and drivers rely on it to align the compasses in their cars.

“The MagQuest challenge is a prime example of how satellite technology plays a crucial role in powering technology and systems that each and every one of us use on a near-daily basis,” said Chuck Cash, vice president of federal sales at Spire. “We’re proud to leverage Spire’s expertise in satellite technology and existing infrastructure for manufacturing, ground stations, and data processing with SBQuantum’s magnetometer technology to provide a novel and more accurate solution to collect geomagnetic data.”

Phase 4 of the challenge is set to conclude in September 2026. There may be an opportunity for additional funding at the end of the challenge to sustain operations and data provisions beyond the three-year period. The results of MagQuest will inform NGA’s acquisition strategy for a WMM global magnetic field data collection capability, with an expected data procurement that can provide operational capacity by 2027.

Source: Spire

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The post Spire Global to participate in NGA’s MagQuest challenge appeared first on Intelligence Community News.

The 6U satellites are equipped with optical communications terminals (OCT) to send information between them securely and almost instantaneously, reducing the latency of data acquired by Spire’s nanosatellites by more than an order of magnitude. The OCT developed by Spire, which is the smallest on the market, allows for the creation of optical links between satellites that enhance link speeds, security and resiliency to interference such as signal jamming and spoofing. With the OCT, Spire’s satellites will be able to communicate via optical link while up to 5,000 kilometers apart.

The launch of the satellites follows an in-orbit technology demonstration where Spire successfully demonstrated its ability to transmit and detect optical signals between two of its 3U satellites.

“We are celebrating the culmination of more than three years of work in creating one of the most complex systems from both the hardware and mission perspectives. The use of optical links instead of traditional links leads to higher resiliency to interference, higher security, and higher efficiency,” said Jeroen Cappaert, Spire chief technology officer and co-founder. “We are one of the first to successfully qualify and demonstrate this technology in our satellite size and weight class – our part in a growing trend, as the space industry is moving to optical links as the backbone for sending data.”

The technology development was funded partially through the European Space Agency (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Services (ARTES) Pioneer Programme and the UK Space Agency (UKSA).

“The successful launch of these two Glasgow-made satellites from Spire Global marks a milestone, not just for the company, but for how we look at intersatellite communications and make these technologies more efficient,” said Craig Brown, director of investment at the UK Space Agency. “The UK Space Agency provided £2.9 million towards the project, which includes five satellites across three launches, through the European Space Agency’s ARTES Pioneer Programme, dedicated to supporting new commercial opportunities in the telecommunications sector. We look forward to following the next steps of Spire Global’s journey and seeing the results.”

Source: Spire

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