As the recent confusion over the East Coast blizzard demonstrated, it can sometimes be difficult to get accurate weather forecasts. But that will be a thing of the past if data start-up Spire has its way.
Spire plans to launch a network of tiny satellites this year that will be used to provide highly accurate weather data. They will collect 10,000 readings per day rather than the 2,000 we get now via publicly funded weather satellites, Spire said.
"What if we don't simply accept that weather is unpredictable and instead do something about it?" Spire CEO Peter Platzer said in a statement. "Imagine what we could do if we could accurately predict weather patterns."
Right now, there are about 20 satellites in orbit that send us weather data. But they are just a tad outdated: "Many...have been in operation for over a decade using technology equivalent to a 486 PC (first released in 1989)," Spire said.
"In contrast, Spire satellites cost a small fraction of these traditional satellites, designed with the equivalent computing power of your latest smartphone, and upgraded every 2 years to keep pace with the rapid technology advancements that we are used to in consumer electronics," the company said.
How will it work? Spire satellites will be equipped with sensors that measure GPS signals through Earth's atmosphere to calculate temperature, pressure, and humidity.
Spire plans to launch 20 satellites of its own in 2015, which will provide five times more data than we have today. As launches continue, Spire promised "10 times by the end of 2016, and over 100 times the data by the end of 2017."
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Spire plans to launch a network of tiny satellites this year that will be used to provide highly accurate weather data. They will collect 10,000 readings per day rather than the 2,000 we get now via publicly funded weather satellites, Spire said.
"What if we don't simply accept that weather is unpredictable and instead do something about it?" Spire CEO Peter Platzer said in a statement. "Imagine what we could do if we could accurately predict weather patterns."
Right now, there are about 20 satellites in orbit that send us weather data. But they are just a tad outdated: "Many...have been in operation for over a decade using technology equivalent to a 486 PC (first released in 1989)," Spire said.
"In contrast, Spire satellites cost a small fraction of these traditional satellites, designed with the equivalent computing power of your latest smartphone, and upgraded every 2 years to keep pace with the rapid technology advancements that we are used to in consumer electronics," the company said.
How will it work? Spire satellites will be equipped with sensors that measure GPS signals through Earth's atmosphere to calculate temperature, pressure, and humidity.
Spire plans to launch 20 satellites of its own in 2015, which will provide five times more data than we have today. As launches continue, Spire promised "10 times by the end of 2016, and over 100 times the data by the end of 2017."
Read more
I love the kickoff saying these satellites will make busted forecasts "a thing of the past." Not that I'm against more satellite data, but for the newbies in the house - this claim is false.
