PlanetiQ

Market position

PlanetiQ positions itself as a leading commercial provider of GNSS-RO data, citing NOAA's largest-ever commercial satellite weather data purchase and a NASA CSDA one-year independent evaluation that rated its radio occultation data "best-in-class." It competes with other commercial RO providers; SpaceNews identified Spire and GeoOptics as competitors that also received NOAA pilot contracts. Government RO sources include the U.S.-Taiwan COSMIC-1 and COSMIC-2 missions, the latter scaled back in part to fund commercial RO providers.

The company differentiates on sensor performance: a NASA-heritage fourth-generation receiver said to deliver the market's highest signal-to-noise ratio and highest temporal and spatial resolution, multi-constellation reception producing more than twice the data of other in-orbit compact sensors, measurements extending to the lowest atmospheric layers, and enhanced high-SNR profiles it describes as seven times the SNR of other commercial providers.

Technology

PlanetiQ's satellites carry the fourth-generation "Pyxis" radio occultation sensor, built on NASA heritage. The company states Pyxis is smaller, lighter and more power-efficient than prior generations while offering nearly three times the data collection capability by receiving signals from GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, and that it routinely probes the lowest atmospheric layers where severe weather occurs. The company claims the highest signal-to-noise ratio and highest temporal and spatial resolution among GNSS-RO providers, including enhanced high-SNR profiles it describes as over seven times higher quality than other commercial providers' profiles. Satellites operate from roughly 650-kilometer low Earth orbit; after design iterations from an original spacecraft over 120 kilograms and a sub-20-kilogram 2015 design with Blue Canyon Technologies, the company settled on a proprietary-bus microsatellite slightly above 30 kilograms. Ground links use KSAT and Atlas Space Operations ground stations. The company also offers linearly polarized GNSS-RO (PRO) measurements for characterizing precipitation.

Go-to-market

The company sells directly through government data-buy programs and contracts (NOAA Commercial Data Program, NASA CSDA, U.S. Air Force STRATFI) and to industry customers, supported by scientific publication, conference participation (American Meteorological Society annual meeting), webinars, white papers, and lead industry sponsorship of the 2026 IROWG symposium.

U.S. government agencies including NOAA, NASA, the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Space Force; international government weather agencies; and commercial sectors including energy and utilities, aviation, commodities trading and agriculture, and insurance.

Geography

PlanetiQ is based in Colorado, described as Denver-based at the time of its Series B and issuing press releases from Golden, Colorado. Its data coverage is global, and it serves U.S. federal agencies as well as international government weather agencies.

History

The company was founded by Chris McCormick, who serves as founder and chairman. It initially planned to launch 12 small satellites in 2016 and 2017, but capital took longer than expected to raise, delaying the program. After redesigning the spacecraft — from over 120 kilograms originally, to under 20 kilograms in 2015 with manufacturing partner Blue Canyon Technologies, and finally to a proprietary-bus microsat slightly over 30 kilograms — the constellation plan was expanded from 12 to 20 satellites. A $18.7 million Series B completed in July 2019 restarted the program, with the first two satellites slated to launch on separate PSLV missions from India in January 2020 and 18 more through 2020-2021. Ira Scharf later became chief executive officer.

Risks & controversies

The satellite program experienced multi-year delays: initial plans to launch 12 satellites in 2016-2017 slipped because funding took longer than expected to materialize, and the spacecraft went through several design changes, including a period when the satellites became too small to achieve the desired signal-to-noise ratio. Of five satellites launched, two are no longer operational. Revenue is concentrated in U.S. government data-purchase and development contracts.