The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a U.S. government agency focused on science-based services and environmental intelligence. Within the space industry, NOAA plays a vital role in monitoring and forecasting space weather through its Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) and the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). NOAA operates a network of satellites, including the GOES and DSCOVR, to track solar activity and its potential impacts on Earth, providing alerts and warnings to various sectors like satellite operations, power grids, and communication systems. NOAA collaborates with NASA and commercial partners on space weather programs like the Space Weather Next program, ensuring continuous space-based observations.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
NASA’s interagency partners for the Satellite Data Explorer include NOAA, USGS, and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center uses SOLAR-1 observations to issue watches, warnings, alerts, and decision support before solar storms impact critical infrastructure and missions.
NOAA and NASA teams checked SOLAR-1’s power, on-board computer, propulsion, attitude-control, communications, and data storage systems during commissioning.
NOAA’s Space Weather Observations at L1 to Advance Readiness–1 (SOLAR-1) observatory has entered operational service.
SOLAR-1’s coronagraph will deliver coronal mass ejection imagery to NOAA forecasters and users within 30 minutes of capture.
The NOAA configuration will integrate an ARINC 791/792-compliant antenna baseplate with a Viasat Ku/Ka broadband antenna.
The initial NOAA installation will use Ku-band connectivity.
NOAA’s C-130J Super Hercules aircraft fly into tropical cyclones and hurricanes to collect atmospheric data for forecast models used by the National Hurricane Center.
The NOAA award is the first formal line-fit integration of Viasat’s Hybrid SATCOM Approach, or HSA, on the C-130J.
NOAA’s next-generation C-130J platforms are expected to replace legacy aircraft and enter service by 2030.
Viasat is providing engineering support, terminal hardware, and structural integration data for the NOAA C-130J program.
SD Government, a Gogo company focused on military and government markets, has secured a multi-year blanket purchase agreement with NOAA to support airborne hurricane hunting activities via satellite communications ahead of the 2026 hurricane season.
The modular antenna baseplate architecture on the NOAA C-130J aircraft is designed to allow future upgrades without structural rework.
NOAA’s current application for the C-130J fleet focuses on Ku-band connectivity.
NOAA’s next-generation C-130J aircraft are scheduled to enter operational service by 2030 and replace legacy platforms.
The modular antenna baseplate architecture on the NOAA C-130J aircraft is intended to support additional frequency bands and multiple satellite constellations in the future.
NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter fleet includes the Lockheed Martin WP-3D aircraft known as Kermit and Miss Piggy.
The NOAA C-130J program is the first formal line-fit integration of Viasat’s Hybrid SATCOM Approach technology onto the C-130J platform.
Under the NOAA contract, SD Government will provide an L-band satellite communications service, associated ground infrastructure, and cybersecurity services through Gogo’s data center in Melbourne, Florida.
The NOAA contract also includes Gogo’s FlightDeck Freedom cockpit datalink software suite.