Naomi Cooper
Spire Global will participate in the fourth phase of a National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency competition that aims to advance novel geomagnetic data collection methodologies to measure Earth’s magnetic field.
The company said Wednesday it will work on the design, development and launch of a satellite with a diamond quantum magnetometer system from SBQuantum to gather geomagnetic data for the World Magnetic Model as part of the MagQuest challenge.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will collect data from Spire’s satellite system for assessment.
Chuck Cash, vice president of federal sales at Spire, said the company will build on its expertise in satellite technology and leverage existing infrastructure, ground stations and data processing with SBQuantum’s magnetometer technology to deliver a more accurate geomagnetic data collection system.
The WMM is used in various navigational systems across the globe, including mobile navigation apps in smartphones and compasses in automobiles.
The MagQuest Phase 4 competition is set to conclude in September 2026. Participants have an opportunity to secure additional funding to sustain operations and data provisions after the challenge ends.
