Interview: practitioners on Space infrastructure for climate resilience — what they wish they knew earlier

By 2025, over 10,000 active satellites orbit Earth, with approximately 40% now dedicated to climate observation and environmental monitoring missions—a threefold increase from 2019. Practitioners working at the intersection of space technology and climate resilience have accumulated hard-won lessons about what actually works when deploying orbital infrastructure for terrestrial environmental challenges. These insights, gathered from engineers, project managers, and policy specialists across North America, reveal the critical implementation trade-offs, stakeholder alignment challenges, and hidden bottlenecks that determine whether space-based climate systems succeed or fail.

Why It Matters

Space infrastructure has become indispensable to climate resilience planning across North America. NASA's Earth Science Division reports that satellite-derived data now informs over 75% of all weather forecasting models and supports $11.5 trillion in weather-sensitive economic activities annually in the United States alone. The 2024 National Climate Assessment explicitly identified space-based monitoring as "critical infrastructure" for adaptation planning, marking the first time orbital assets received this designation.

The urgency stems from accelerating climate impacts. NOAA documented 28 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in North America during 2024, the highest number on record. Each of these events required satellite imagery for emergency response coordination, damage assessment, and recovery planning. The Insurance Information Institute estimates that space-based early warning systems prevented approximately $47 billion in additional losses through improved evacuation timing and infrastructure protection decisions.

However, significant gaps remain. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report found that 34% of federal climate monitoring satellites are operating beyond their designed lifespan, creating potential data continuity risks. The Canadian Space Agency notes similar concerns, with three critical earth observation missions requiring replacement before 2027. These pressures have intensified interest in commercial partnerships and innovative procurement approaches, fundamentally reshaping how practitioners approach space infrastructure for climate applications.

Key Concepts

Transition Plan: In space infrastructure contexts, a transition plan refers to the strategic roadmap for migrating from legacy satellite systems to next-generation platforms while maintaining data continuity. Practitioners emphasize that transition planning must begin 5-7 years before end-of-life to allow for orbital slot coordination, data format standardization, and user community preparation. Failed transitions have historically created multi-year gaps in critical climate data records.

SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar): SAR systems use microwave pulses to image Earth's surface regardless of cloud cover or lighting conditions, making them essential for monitoring regions with persistent cloud cover like the Pacific Northwest or tracking rapid-onset events such as floods. Unlike optical sensors, SAR can detect ground deformation at millimeter scales, enabling infrastructure vulnerability assessments and subsidence monitoring in coastal communities facing sea-level rise.

Space Law: The regulatory framework governing space activities, including the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the ITU Radio Regulations for spectrum allocation, and national licensing requirements. In North America, practitioners navigate both FCC licensing (for U.S. systems) and ISED Canada regulations. The 2024 updates to U.S. commercial remote sensing regulations significantly streamlined licensing for climate-focused missions while introducing new data-sharing requirements for federally-funded applications.

LCA (Life Cycle Assessment): A methodology for evaluating the environmental impact of space missions from manufacturing through launch, operation, and disposal. The space industry's carbon footprint has become increasingly scrutinized, with a 2024 ESA study finding that a typical earth observation satellite generates 50-70 tonnes of CO2 equivalent during its lifecycle. Leading practitioners now require LCA documentation for all mission components.

GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System): While primarily known for positioning services, GNSS constellations (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS) provide critical climate data through radio occultation measurements of atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles. These measurements have become essential inputs for climate models, with GNSS-derived data improving forecast accuracy by 15-20% according to NOAA studies.

What's Working and What Isn't

What's Working

Public-Private Data Partnerships: The NOAA Commercial Data Program, launched in 2020 and expanded significantly through 2024, has demonstrated that commercial satellite operators can reliably provide operational-quality climate data at competitive costs. NOAA's 2024 contracts with Planet Labs and Spire Global for radio occultation and imagery data reduced per-observation costs by approximately 60% compared to dedicated government missions while increasing data refresh rates from days to hours in many applications.

Constellation Approaches Over Monolithic Satellites: Practitioners consistently report that distributed satellite constellations provide superior climate monitoring compared to traditional large satellites. The Planet Labs SkySat and PlanetScope constellations now provide daily global coverage at 3-meter resolution, enabling tracking of deforestation, agricultural stress, and urban heat island effects that would be impossible with weekly or monthly revisit rates. This approach also provides inherent redundancy—when individual satellites fail, the constellation continues operating with minimal capability degradation.

Cross-Border Data Sharing Protocols: The 2024 Canada-U.S. Earth Observation Data Exchange Agreement established standardized protocols for sharing climate-relevant satellite data between the two nations. This framework reduced data access latency from 72 hours to under 4 hours for emergency response applications and created common data formats that eliminated significant preprocessing requirements for transboundary environmental monitoring.

What Isn't Working

Long Procurement Cycles: Despite reform efforts, federal satellite procurement in the United States still averages 8-12 years from mission concept to launch. This timeline means that satellites being launched today were designed using requirements established when iPhone 5 was new. Practitioners report that by the time missions reach orbit, user needs have evolved substantially, and commercial alternatives often exceed originally-specified capabilities at a fraction of the cost.

Spectrum Interference Challenges: The proliferation of 5G networks and proposed satellite internet constellations has created increasing interference with weather observation frequencies, particularly the 23.8 GHz band critical for water vapor sensing. A 2024 NOAA-FCC conflict over spectrum allocation resulted in temporary degradation of hurricane intensity forecasts, with practitioners estimating a 10-15% reduction in prediction accuracy during the dispute period.

Data Integration Barriers: Despite abundant satellite data availability, practitioners consistently identify data integration as a critical bottleneck. A 2024 survey of state climate offices found that 67% lack staff with specialized skills to process satellite data, and 78% report that data format incompatibilities prevent routine use of available observations. The technical debt of legacy systems creates substantial friction in operationalizing new data sources.

Key Players

Established Leaders

Maxar Technologies (Westminster, Colorado): The dominant provider of high-resolution commercial Earth imagery, operating the WorldView constellation. Maxar's 2024 contracts with FEMA and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency establish it as critical infrastructure for disaster response across North America.

Planet Labs (San Francisco, California): Operates the largest commercial Earth observation constellation with over 200 satellites providing daily global coverage. Their 2024 partnership with the California Department of Forestry expanded real-time wildfire detection capabilities across 33 million acres of forestland.

Spire Global (San Francisco, California): Specializes in weather and maritime tracking through a constellation of cubesats. Their radio occultation data has become a standard input for NOAA numerical weather prediction models since 2023.

MDA Space (Brampton, Ontario): Canada's leading space technology company, operating the RADARSAT Constellation Mission providing synthetic aperture radar coverage of North American coastlines, ice formations, and disaster zones.

L3Harris Technologies (Melbourne, Florida): Major contractor for NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series, providing the backbone of North American severe weather monitoring and climate data continuity.

Emerging Startups

GHGSat (Montreal, Quebec): Pioneered commercial methane emissions monitoring from space, now operating 12 satellites capable of identifying individual facility-level emissions sources. Their data supports EPA enforcement actions and corporate emissions verification.

Muon Space (Mountain View, California): Developing dedicated climate observation satellites with a focus on greenhouse gas monitoring. Their first mission, launched in late 2024, targets carbon cycle measurements at unprecedented resolution.

Tomorrow.io (Boston, Massachusetts): Operates proprietary weather radar satellites designed to fill gaps in ground-based precipitation monitoring. Their 2024 constellation expansion brought real-time precipitation data to underserved regions across the Caribbean and Central America.

Capella Space (San Francisco, California): Commercial SAR operator providing all-weather, day-night imaging capabilities. Their partnership with FEMA in 2024 enabled rapid damage assessment during Atlantic hurricane season within hours rather than days.

Satellogic (Charlotte, North Carolina): Operating a growing constellation of sub-meter resolution imaging satellites with a focus on agricultural and environmental monitoring applications for the North American market.

Key Investors & Funders

NASA Earth Science Division: Provides approximately $2 billion annually for Earth observation missions, with the 2024 Earth System Observatory program representing the largest new investment in climate satellites in two decades.

NOAA Climate Program Office: Funds operational climate monitoring systems and commercial data purchases, with a 2024 budget exceeding $500 million for satellite-related activities.

In-Q-Tel: The CIA's venture capital arm has significantly expanded climate technology investments, recognizing climate change as a national security priority. Their portfolio includes several Earth observation startups.

Lux Capital: Leading venture investor in space and climate technology, with a portfolio including Muon Space, Planet Labs, and multiple climate analytics companies leveraging satellite data.

Canada Strategic Innovation Fund: Has allocated CAD $450 million through 2026 for space sector development, with priority given to Earth observation and climate monitoring capabilities.

Examples

California Wildfire Early Warning System: The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) implemented an integrated satellite monitoring system in 2024 that combines Planet Labs daily imagery, NOAA GOES real-time hotspot detection, and Capella Space SAR for smoke-penetrating observation. During the 2024 fire season, this system detected 847 fire ignitions within 15 minutes of start—a 340% improvement over the previous detection network. The economic benefit analysis conducted by UC Berkeley estimated $2.3 billion in prevented losses through earlier evacuation orders and more efficient firefighting resource deployment.

Great Lakes Water Level Monitoring Network: Environment and Climate Change Canada partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2024 to deploy an integrated satellite-based water level monitoring system using Jason-3 and Sentinel-6 altimetry data. The system provides basin-wide water level measurements every 10 days with 2-centimeter accuracy, enabling improved management of the $5.8 trillion in economic activity dependent on Great Lakes water resources. Early results show 23% improvement in seasonal water level forecasts compared to traditional gauge-only approaches.

Mississippi River Flood Plain Mapping Initiative: The U.S. Geological Survey completed a comprehensive floodplain remapping effort in 2024 using SAR data from the RADARSAT Constellation Mission and optical imagery from Landsat 9. The project mapped 1.2 million square kilometers of flood-prone land at 10-meter resolution, identifying 340,000 structures previously unmapped in flood hazard zones. FEMA estimates the updated maps will inform $18 billion in flood insurance premium adjustments and infrastructure investment decisions over the next decade.

Action Checklist

• Conduct a data needs assessment identifying which climate variables require satellite observation versus ground-based monitoring
• Establish formal relationships with commercial satellite data providers through NOAA's Commercial Data Program or direct procurement
• Develop internal capacity for satellite data processing, including staff training on cloud-based analysis platforms like Google Earth Engine or Microsoft Planetary Computer
• Create data continuity plans identifying backup sources for critical satellite data streams in case of mission failures
• Engage with spectrum coordination processes to protect frequencies essential for climate observation from interference
• Implement standardized data formats (COG, STAC, Zarr) to reduce integration friction when incorporating new satellite sources
• Establish partnerships with academic institutions for advanced analytics and algorithm development using satellite observations
• Participate in federal advisory processes for next-generation climate satellite mission requirements
• Develop life cycle assessment protocols for evaluating the environmental impact of space infrastructure investments
• Create cross-border coordination agreements with Canadian or Mexican counterparts for transboundary climate monitoring

FAQ

Q: What is the typical timeline and cost for a climate-focused satellite mission from concept to operation? A: Government-led missions typically require 8-12 years and $500 million to $2 billion from initial concept through launch and commissioning. However, commercial cubesat constellations have compressed this timeline to 2-4 years with costs of $5-50 million per satellite. The trade-off involves capability—dedicated government missions typically offer higher precision and longer design life, while commercial systems provide faster refresh rates and greater flexibility. Practitioners recommend a portfolio approach combining both mission types.

Q: How do organizations ensure data continuity when transitioning between satellite systems? A: Successful transitions require overlap periods of 12-24 months where both legacy and new systems operate simultaneously, allowing for cross-calibration and user adaptation. Organizations should establish data format conversion pipelines early, typically 2-3 years before transition, and participate in mission science teams to influence data product specifications. The failure to maintain continuity in the Landsat thermal band between Landsat 7 and 8 serves as a cautionary example of transition planning failures.

Q: What are the key regulatory hurdles for organizations seeking to use commercial satellite data for climate applications? A: The primary challenges involve data licensing restrictions that may limit redistribution or derivative product creation, security classifications on certain high-resolution imagery, and export control regulations (ITAR/EAR) affecting international collaboration. Organizations should negotiate data licenses carefully, ensuring terms permit intended uses including public reporting and academic collaboration. The 2024 reforms to U.S. commercial remote sensing regulations reduced some restrictions but added new requirements for federal data-sharing that may complicate commercial arrangements.

Q: How can smaller organizations with limited budgets access satellite data for climate resilience planning? A: Multiple free and low-cost options exist. The USGS Earth Explorer portal provides free access to Landsat, Sentinel, and numerous other datasets. NASA's Earthdata portal offers extensive climate observations. Commercial providers including Planet Labs offer free access for nonprofit and educational users through their Education and Research Program. Cloud platforms like Google Earth Engine and Microsoft Planetary Computer provide both free data access and processing capabilities, eliminating the need for expensive local computing infrastructure.

Q: What emerging technologies will most significantly impact space-based climate monitoring over the next 5-10 years? A: Practitioners identify three transformative technologies: first, AI-powered onboard processing that enables satellites to transmit analyzed results rather than raw data, dramatically reducing bandwidth requirements and latency; second, inter-satellite optical links creating space-based internet backbones that enable real-time data relay without ground station constraints; and third, hyperspectral imaging miniaturization bringing atmospheric composition measurements to small satellite platforms at a fraction of traditional costs. The convergence of these technologies promises near-real-time global climate monitoring by the early 2030s.

Sources

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "Commercial Data Program Annual Report 2024." NOAA Office of Space Commerce, 2024.
• Government Accountability Office. "Weather Satellites: NOAA Should Take Steps to Address Aging Satellites and Potential Gaps in Data Coverage." GAO-24-106, 2024.
• NASA Earth Science Division. "Earth System Observatory: Science and Applications Plan." NASA Technical Reports, 2024.
• Canadian Space Agency. "Earth Observation Roadmap 2024-2034." Government of Canada, 2024.
• Insurance Information Institute. "Space-Based Early Warning Systems: Economic Benefits Analysis." III Research Report, 2024.
• Federal Communications Commission. "Spectrum Management for Earth Observation Services: Proceedings and Analysis." FCC Report 24-78, 2024.
• World Meteorological Organization. "State of the Climate Services 2024: Early Warning Systems." WMO-No. 1322, 2024.