Golden, Colorado, October 23rd / PRNewswire / -- Business GNSS Radio occultation ( GNSS-RO ) weather data provider PlanetiQ announced today that its GNOMES-11 satellite was successfully launched and deployed into orbit during the SpaceX mission. The satellite was launched on October 20th at 7:04 a.m. Eastern Time from the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Currently, GNOMES-11 has established contact with ground stations and is undergoing in-orbit testing.

Together with GNOMES-10, which was launched on October 1st on the SpaceX Transporter -18 mission from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, GNOMES-11 has become the two newest satellites in the PlanetiQ constellation. Both satellites are equipped with advanced PlanetiQ atmospheric detection technology, which can provide critical data for weather forecasting, space weather, and other radio frequency detection applications.

Complete manufacturing and launch within 10 months with Muon Space.

As a task partner of PlanetiQ, Muon Space is responsible for designing and manufacturing these two satellites in accordance with the contract, as well as integrating the Pyxis payload from PlanetiQ. This payload receives GNSS-RO signals with the highest precision in the industry.

GNOMES-10 and GNOMES-11 got on track just 10 months after PlanetiQ signed a contract with Muon Space. The company stated that this timeline demonstrates that PlanetiQ is capable of moving from spacecraft procurement to launch and in-orbit testing at the speed required by current customers. This also aligns with NOAA's priority for faster manufacturing, launch, and data delivery cycles. For PlanetiQ and Muon Space, these two missions mean launching from the east and west coasts of the United States within a month each.

This speed is important for NOAA, other government agencies, and commercial customers. NOAA, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction, Taylor Jordan, stated at the World Space Business Week in September that it usually takes five to seven years to build and deploy government satellite systems, while commercial companies generally only need two to three years. GNOMES-10 and GNOMES-11 indicate that commercial providers can quickly move from procurement to orbit deployment.

Business data for operational forecasting, in line with NOAA priorities

PlanetiQ CEO Ira Scharf stated: "Business weather data is no longer an experiment. It is becoming part of the national weather forecasting approach. Business users need data they can rely on, and it needs to be delivered according to their schedule, not in ten years from now."

Muon Space CEO Jonny Dyer stated: "The next generation of national weather infrastructure will be built by teams that are capable of rapidly moving from concept to implementation, while providing the performance and reliability required for these critical tasks. GNOMES-10 and GNOMES-11 have demonstrated this in practice. We are proud to have built these spacecraft, enabling PlanetiQ to provide vital atmospheric data to NOAA and to help improve weather forecasts. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with PlanetiQ to advance the next generation of space-based weather observations."

Bandwagon-5 sent GNOMES-11 into a medium inclination orbit, providing observations for the PlanetiQ constellation from a lower inclination, non-sun-synchronous orbit. The diversity of orbits has increased the time sampling frequency of GNSS-RO observations, especially in tropical and subtropical regions, and extended them to mid-latitude areas. More frequent observations in these regions can improve the time distribution of atmospheric measurements available for numerical weather forecasting models.

NOAA and other users have regarded this diversity of orbits as a high-priority strategic goal. In late September, the NOAA business data project ( CDP ) awarded a task order to PlanetiQ worth up to $47,342,258, for the provision of commercial GNSS-RO and total electronic content ( TEC ) data, which includes what NOAA refers to as "profiles with enhanced temporal resolution," and this is precisely the type of data that the GNOMES-11 orbit is designed to collect.

Provide timely data for this winter's El Niño phenomenon

As the new coverage area arrives, a strong El Niño is forming this winter. GNOMES-11 Observations of tropical and mid-latitude regions can help weather forecasting models better reflect the temperature, humidity, and circulation patterns that affect the Pacific jet stream and the weather downstream in the United States, compensating for the lack of data in these areas.

In the past, strong El Niño winters have brought destructive storms to California, including floods, mudslides, and coastal erosion, as well as severe convective weather and heavy snowfall in many parts of the United States. Better forecasting could give emergency responders, utility companies, and farmers more time to prepare, which would help protect lives and reduce significant losses.

Continuously expanding constellation and team

With the addition of GNOMES-10 and GNOMES-11, PlanetiQ is approaching a daily production capacity of nearly 20,000 GNSS-RO sections.

The company is also expanding in step with its astrological signs. This autumn, PlanetiQ nearly doubled the size of its office in Golden, Colorado, to accommodate more scientists, engineers, and personnel responsible for product and business development.

About PlanetiQ

PlanetiQ provides the highest quality GNSS radio occultation (RO) data from commercial satellite constellations, boasting unparalleled temporal and spatial resolution. These data power high-precision, high-impact weather and climate forecasting models, contributing to enhanced numerical weather forecasting and AI prediction capabilities, and helping to protect lives and property from the impacts of severe weather. PlanetiQ is a space technology company that serves leaders in government, defense, and industry for their most critical missions, including international meteorological agencies, thereby supporting more resilient operations across various industries. Founded in 2015, it is a private enterprise that designs, manufactures, and operates leading commercial GNSS-RO satellite constellations, setting standards for the accuracy and reliability of atmospheric monitoring. For more information, please visit PlanetiQ.

About Muon Space

Muon Space is a "task foundry" that designs, manufactures, and operates high-performance satellite constellations for defense, civilian, and commercial customers. Founded in 2021, the company has engineered spacecraft, instruments, software, and operational systems, with all components working together from simulation to orbit. Leveraging its advanced production facilities in Silicon Valley and multiple constellations already in orbit, Muon can deliver products within months rather than years. For more information, please visit: https :// www.muonspace.com.