The last of six tiny satellites that were rocketed into space 14 years ago – and then went on to prove that the wealth of accurate atmospheric data that can be gleaned from existing GPS signals can improve operational weather forecasts – was officially decommissioned on May 1, outliving its original planned lifespan by a dozen years.

UCAR, building on its commitment to improve weather forecasting, will license a satellite data processing system to Atmospheric and Environmental, Inc.

As UCAR releases the first data from the newly launched COSMIC-2 satellite system, meteorologists are finding evidence that the detailed observations of the atmosphere will significantly improve short-term weather forecasts.

A massive dataset that is widely used by the climate and atmospheric research community to study phenomena such as extreme rainfall, ice loss, and extended droughts in North America, is now freely available on the commercial cloud. 

A constellation of small satellites launched on June 24 will lead to better hurricane forecasts and provide critical information about upper atmospheric disturbances that can affect global communications systems and electrical grids.