Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Orbital Micro Systems, and Spire Global have won contracts to design microwave sounders for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The contracts were awarded by NASA on behalf of NOAA and will allow the companies to conduct studies and design sounders for the Near-Earth Orbit Network (NEON), NOAA’s next generation of polar-orbiting weather satellites.

After the firms complete the 12-month studies, NASA and NOAA will decide whether to proceed with development and manufacturing of the sounder.