Spire Global
Company Information
Headquarters
Vienna, Virginia, USA
Year Founded
2012
Industries
Aerospace, Satellite Manufacturing, Earth Observation, Weather Forecasting, Aviation, Defense, Geospatial Intelligence, Satellite Data Services
What Is Spire Global?
Spire Global is a space technology company providing satellite-based data, analytics, and spacecraft services. It designs, manufactures, and operates a constellation of LEMUR nanosatellites equipped with radio-frequency sensors that collect information about atmospheric conditions, aircraft movements, and electromagnetic signals.
The company’s technology combines satellite manufacturing, orbital sensor networks, ground station infrastructure, and data processing systems. Its information services support weather forecasting, aviation monitoring, national security operations, and organizations requiring measurements from locations beyond the coverage of conventional ground-based sensors.
What Does Spire Global Do?
Spire Global develops and operates multi-purpose satellite constellations that collect radio-frequency measurements from low Earth orbit. Its LEMUR spacecraft carry specialized sensors for atmospheric monitoring, aircraft tracking, and the detection and geolocation of radio transmissions.
For weather intelligence, Spire uses GNSS radio occultation technology to measure changes in satellite navigation signals as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere. These observations provide information about temperature, pressure, and humidity that can be incorporated into numerical weather prediction models.
Its aviation services collect Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) transmissions from aircraft, extending flight tracking coverage into remote and oceanic regions where terrestrial receivers have limited reach.
Spire also provides space reconnaissance services that detect and locate radio-frequency emissions. These capabilities support the identification of navigation interference, communications activity, and other electromagnetic signals relevant to government and commercial monitoring.
Through its Space Services business, the company designs and manufactures satellites, integrates customer payloads, coordinates launches, and operates spacecraft after deployment. Customers can access satellite-generated information through APIs, dashboards, and other data delivery systems.
Following the sale of its maritime business to Kpler, Spire no longer operates that business as part of its core commercial data portfolio, although its satellite sensing technology continues to support maritime security and RF monitoring applications.
Spire Global Technology
Spire Global develops technologies combining nanosatellite manufacturing, software-defined radio sensors, orbital communications, and satellite data analytics. Its LEMUR spacecraft operate in low Earth orbit and carry instruments that collect atmospheric measurements, aircraft tracking signals, and radio-frequency emissions.
The company’s satellite architecture uses configurable payloads and standardized spacecraft subsystems, allowing different sensing technologies to operate on a common platform. Each satellite incorporates power management, attitude control, communications equipment, and onboard processing capabilities.
For atmospheric monitoring, Spire uses GNSS radio occultation, a technique that measures how satellite navigation signals bend and change as they travel through Earth’s atmosphere. These measurements are processed to derive atmospheric profiles containing information about temperature, pressure, and humidity. The resulting datasets support numerical weather prediction and climate research.
Spire’s aviation monitoring technology uses space-based ADS-B receivers to detect position and identification signals broadcast by aircraft. Collecting these signals from orbit extends monitoring into regions where ground-based receivers cannot provide continuous coverage.
Its RF geolocation systems detect electromagnetic transmissions across multiple frequency bands. Depending on the sensor configuration, the company uses time difference of arrival, frequency difference of arrival, Doppler analysis, and other signal-processing techniques to estimate the location of radio emitters. In 2026, Spire demonstrated the geolocation of S-band and X-band signals using a single satellite.
The company’s satellite network is supported by ground stations, cloud-based data processing, automated mission operations, and APIs. These systems allow collected observations to be converted into datasets and analytical products for customers.
Spire is also developing optical inter-satellite communications and hyperspectral microwave sounding instruments. These technologies extend its capabilities into satellite-to-satellite data transmission and additional forms of atmospheric observation.
Why Spire Global Matters
Weather forecasting, aviation monitoring, and security operations depend on reliable information from areas that may be difficult to observe using terrestrial infrastructure. Satellite networks provide an additional source of measurements across oceans, remote regions, and locations with limited ground coverage.
Spire Global contributes to these capabilities through a multi-purpose satellite constellation that collects several types of data using a common spacecraft infrastructure. Its atmospheric observations support weather prediction, while its aviation services extend aircraft tracking beyond conventional ground networks.
The company’s space-based RF intelligence capabilities also provide information about radio transmissions and navigation interference. These observations can complement satellite imagery and terrestrial sensors, particularly when monitoring activity that cannot be identified through optical measurements alone.
Through Space Services, Spire makes its spacecraft manufacturing, launch integration, ground stations, and mission operations infrastructure available to organizations developing their own satellite applications. This allows customers to deploy instruments and collect orbital data without independently establishing every part of a satellite program.
Its continued investment in RF geolocation, atmospheric sensing, and optical communications reflects the growing importance of satellites as data collection and communications infrastructure. Spire’s development illustrates how small spacecraft can support specialized commercial, scientific, and government applications.
Spire Global Products & Platforms
LEMUR Satellite Platform
LEMUR, short for Low Earth Multi-Use Receiver, is Spire’s modular nanosatellite platform used to collect data and host customer payloads in low Earth orbit. The spacecraft incorporates power generation, communications, attitude control, onboard processing, and configurable sensor systems. Spire has launched more than 200 LEMUR satellites since its founding, supporting weather, aviation, RF intelligence, and hosted payload missions.
Spire Weather & Climate Intelligence
Spire’s weather intelligence services use satellite-based atmospheric measurements, including GNSS radio occultation data, to support forecasting and environmental analysis. The company provides atmospheric profiles, weather datasets, and predictive information used by meteorological agencies, energy companies, and organizations managing weather-related operational risks.
DeepVision
DeepVision is a weather and environmental intelligence platform that combines satellite observations, ground-based measurements, and forecasting data. Its dashboard provides access to environmental conditions and analytical information used for weather monitoring, operational planning, and risk assessment.
Spire Aviation Intelligence
Spire Aviation provides space-based aircraft tracking information collected through ADS-B receivers aboard its satellites. The service supports aircraft position monitoring, flight history analysis, and operational intelligence across regions where ground-based tracking infrastructure is limited. Data can be integrated into aviation applications through commercial data interfaces.
RF Detection and Geolocation
Spire’s RF geolocation services detect and locate radio-frequency transmissions from orbit. Its sensing capabilities cover VHF, UHF, GNSS L-band, S-band, and X-band signals. The system uses signal processing and geolocation techniques to identify transmitters associated with communications, radar, navigation interference, and other electromagnetic activity.
Space Reconnaissance
Space Reconnaissance combines satellite RF collection and geospatial intelligence to support government, defense, and commercial monitoring. Its capabilities include RF signal detection, emitter geolocation, signal fingerprinting, navigation interference monitoring, and analysis of unencrypted voice transmissions. Customers can access observations through secure data delivery and mission integration systems.
GNSS Spoofing Intelligence Platform
Spire’s GNSS spoofing intelligence platform combines aviation observations with satellite RF geolocation to identify potential sources of navigation interference. Its beta service provides analytical reports showing interference patterns, affected airspace, and suspected emitter activity. The platform is intended to support aviation safety and security monitoring.
Spire Space Services
Spire Space Services provides satellite manufacturing, hosted payload integration, and mission operations. Customers can deploy instruments or software using the LEMUR spacecraft platform and Spire’s existing ground infrastructure. Services include mission design, spacecraft production, payload integration, launch coordination, satellite operations, and data delivery.
Optical Inter-Satellite Links
Spire is developing optical inter-satellite communications technology that uses laser links to exchange data between spacecraft. In July 2026, the company reported a successful cross-plane optical connection between two equipped satellites. The technology is intended to support more flexible satellite communications and data routing across orbital networks.
Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder
Spire’s hyperspectral microwave sounding program develops satellite instruments for measuring atmospheric properties using microwave observations. The technology is intended to provide additional temperature and humidity information for weather forecasting, including observations through cloud cover. A demonstrator satellite delivered its first data in 2026.
Spire Global Applications
Weather Forecasting: Providing satellite atmospheric measurements and predictive datasets for meteorological models and operational planning.
Aviation Tracking: Monitoring aircraft positions using space-based ADS-B receivers, including coverage over remote and oceanic regions.
Radio-Frequency Intelligence: Detecting and geolocating electromagnetic signals for government, defense, and commercial monitoring.
GNSS Interference Detection: Identifying potential sources of navigation jamming and spoofing affecting aviation and other critical systems.
Climate and Environmental Research: Supplying atmospheric observations for weather analysis, environmental monitoring, and scientific modeling.
Satellite Manufacturing: Designing, producing, and integrating nanosatellites and mission-specific payloads.
Hosted Payload Missions: Providing access to orbital infrastructure for customer instruments, software, and technology demonstrations.
Maritime Security: Supporting detection of radio-frequency activity associated with vessels and maritime communications, separate from the company’s divested commercial maritime data business.
Space Communications: Developing optical inter-satellite links and ground infrastructure for exchanging data between spacecraft and terrestrial systems.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Spire Global do?
Spire Global develops and operates nanosatellites that collect atmospheric, aviation, and radio-frequency data. Its services include weather intelligence, aircraft tracking, RF geolocation, satellite manufacturing, and hosted payload operations. The company delivers satellite-generated information through data platforms and APIs.
What is Spire Global’s LEMUR satellite constellation?
LEMUR stands for Low Earth Multi-Use Receiver. It is Spire’s modular nanosatellite platform, equipped with configurable sensors for weather monitoring, aviation tracking, RF intelligence, and customer payloads. The company has launched more than 200 LEMUR satellites since its founding.
How does Spire Global collect weather data from space?
Spire uses GNSS radio occultation technology to measure how navigation signals change as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere. These measurements are processed to derive atmospheric temperature, pressure, and humidity profiles, which can be incorporated into weather forecasting models.
What is Spire Global’s RF geolocation technology?
Spire’s RF geolocation technology detects radio transmissions using satellite-based sensors and estimates the location of their sources. Applications include monitoring navigation interference, communications activity, radar emissions, and other electromagnetic signals. In 2026, the company demonstrated single-satellite geolocation of S-band and X-band signals.
Does Spire Global still operate its maritime data business?
No. Spire completed the sale of its maritime business to Kpler in 2025. Its remaining operations focus on weather and climate intelligence, aviation data, space reconnaissance, and Space Services. Its satellite RF sensing capabilities can still support maritime security applications, including detection of vessel-related radio transmissions.
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