by Karen Dubey
What is PlanetiQ?
PlanetiQ is a commercial space and weather intelligence company that designs GNSS-RO receivers and operates satellites delivering Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) weather and space weather data. The company provides high-resolution atmospheric observations that are used by all of the top weather agencies worldwide to improve their numerical weather forecasts, AI models, climate monitoring, and operational decision-making for government and commercial customers. (PlanetiQ)
Where is PlanetiQ headquartered?
PlanetiQ is headquartered in Golden. (LinkedIn)
How many people work at PlanetiQ?
Approximately 30 people work at PlanetiQ. (LinkedIn)
When was PlanetiQ founded?
PlanetiQ was founded in 2015 by Chris McCormick and a team with extensive expertise in aerospace engineering, atmospheric science, and GNSS radio occultation technology. (PlanetiQ)
What experience does the PlanetiQ team have?
The PlanetiQ leadership and technical teams collectively bring:
- Over 100 spacecraft launches
- Decades of aerospace and atmospheric science expertise
- Extensive GNSS-RO development experience
- More than 100 published scientific papers
(PlanetiQ)
How can I learn more about careers at PlanetiQ?
Visit the official careers page on PlanetiQ’s website to learn more about open opportunities and company culture.
What does PlanetiQ do?
PlanetiQ collects atmospheric and ionospheric measurements from its own low Earth orbit satellites using proprietary GNSS-RO technology. They then sell this data to NOAA, NASA, USAF, Space Force, and private companies. These measurements help improve:
- Weather forecasting
- Hurricane prediction
- Aviation safety
- Space weather monitoring
- Climate research
- Defense operations
- Renewable energy forecasting
- GPS Jamming & Spoofing detection
The company also develops advanced AI-driven weather intelligence products and analytics. (PlanetiQ)
What is GNSS-RO?
GNSS Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) is a satellite remote sensing technique that measures how GNSS signals from systems like GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou bend as they travel through Earth’s atmosphere. By analyzing those signal changes, scientists can derive highly accurate profiles of:
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Humidity
- Atmospheric density
- Electron density
These measurements improve global weather and climate models. (PlanetiQ)
How does GNSS-RO work?
A GNSS satellite transmits signals toward Earth while a PlanetiQ satellite in low Earth orbit receives those signals as they pass through the atmosphere. The atmosphere acts like a lens to bend and delay the signals. PlanetiQ’s sensors analyze these changes to generate atmospheric profiles from near the Earth’s surface into the upper atmosphere. (PlanetiQ) (YouTube)
Why is GNSS-RO important for weather forecasting?
GNSS-RO data is considered one of the most accurate and unbiased satellite data sources for numerical weather prediction. Unlike many weather sensors, GNSS-RO can:
- Penetrate clouds and storms
- Provide global coverage
- Provide high resolution profile from the Earth’s surface to the ionosphere, even in areas where weather balloons are sparse
- Deliver consistent calibration-free observations
- Improve forecasts over oceans and remote regions
Independent studies by organizations including ECMWF and UKMO have shown GNSS-RO has exceptionally high forecast impact. (PlanetiQ)
Why is GNSS-RO data valuable?
GNSS-RO data are highly accurate, globally distributed, calibration-free, and effective in all weather conditions, making them one of the most impactful data sources for weather prediction models. (PlanetiQ)
What makes PlanetiQ different from other GNSS-RO commercial providers?
PlanetiQ’s proprietary “Pyxis” GNSS-RO receiver is based on NASA heritage technology with the COSMIC programs and is designed to deliver:
- Higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
- Greater vertical resolution
- Better penetration into the lower atmosphere
- Higher-quality atmospheric profiles
- Longer satellite lifespan
PlanetiQ data achieves significantly higher SNR than competing commercial providers, improving performance in the lower troposphere and planetary boundary layer where most weather occurs. (PlanetiQ)
What is the Pyxis receiver?
Pyxis is PlanetiQ’s fourth-generation GNSS-RO sensor platform. It receives signals from all four major GNSS constellations:
- GPS
- GLONASS
- Galileo
- BeiDou
The receiver is optimized for high data quality, compact size, lower power consumption, and increased data collection capability. (PlanetiQ)
What kind of data products does PlanetiQ provide?
PlanetiQ provides several atmospheric and ionospheric products, including:
- Atmospheric refractivity
- Temperature profiles
- Pressure profiles
- Humidity profiles
- Density
- Total Electron Content (TEC)
- Space weather measurements
- Scintillation observations
- Polarimetric radio occultation data
- Heavy precipitation
- Vertical structure of cloud ice
- GNSS signals intelligence (jamming and spoofing insights)
- Over 4 year historical archive for model training
These products support operational forecasting and scientific research. (PlanetiQ)
What is space weather data?
Space weather data measures conditions in Earth’s ionosphere and near-space environment, including electron density and ionospheric disturbances caused by solar activity. This information is important for:
- GPS reliability
- Communications systems
- Aviation
- Defense operations
- Satellite operations
Does PlanetiQ provide real-time or low-latency data?
Yes. PlanetiQ delivers operational data products with low latency for weather forecasting, government operations, and defense applications. NOAA and other agencies use these data streams operationally. (PlanetiQ)
Which industries use PlanetiQ data?
PlanetiQ serves industries including:
- Weather forecasting
- Government and defense
- Aviation
- Maritime operations
- Energy trading
- Renewable energy
- Agriculture
- Insurance
- Transportation
- Climate science
- Signals intelligence
(PlanetiQ)
How does PlanetiQ help aviation?
GNSS-RO data improves forecasts of:
- Turbulence
- Wind shear
- Jet stream behavior
- Temperature and humidity profiles
This helps airlines improve routing efficiency, fuel planning, and operational safety. (PlanetiQ)
How does PlanetiQ support renewable energy?
Accurate atmospheric forecasting helps improve:
- Wind power generation forecasting
- Solar production forecasting
- Grid balancing
- Energy trading decisions
Higher-quality weather inputs help utilities and energy companies operate more efficiently. (PlanetiQ)
How does PlanetiQ support government and defense missions?
PlanetiQ provides weather and space weather intelligence to organizations, including NOAA, the U.S. Air Force, and other defense partners. Its data support:
- Mission planning
- Aviation operations
- Maritime awareness
- Environmental intelligence
- Space domain awareness
- Signal intelligence
(PlanetiQ)
What agencies use PlanetiQ data?
Organizations including NOAA, ECMWF, NASA-affiliated researchers, US Space Force, and the U.S. Air Force use or support PlanetiQ data and technologies. (NASA Science)
NOAA purchases PlanetiQ GNSS-RO data through its Commercial Data Program. In 2025, NOAA awarded PlanetiQ a $24.3 million contract under the Radio Occultation Data Buy 2 (RODB-2) program., making PlanetiQ the largest commercial provider of satellite weather data to NOAA. (PR Newswire)
PlanetiQ data are available through NASA’s Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program for approved U.S. government researchers and agencies. PlanetiQ data has been rated “Best-In-Class” by NASA. (NASA Science)
In 2026, PlanetiQ announced a $15 million STRATFI contract with the U.S. Air Force to advance next-generation GNSS-RO, GNSS-R, and polarimetric radio occultation technologies. (PR Newswire)
Does PlanetiQ sell any other products besides RO data?
PlanetiQ offers weather analytics related to RO data and are working with several government agencies and commercial organizations on their mission-critical needs that rely on weather forecasting. PlanetiQ also sells signal intelligence data gathered from its satellites for mapping interference, spoofing, and jamming. (PlanetiQ)
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