Weather Stream’s GEMS2-Amethyst Satellite Achieves First Light, Delivering Global Atmospheric Data from Orbit
Next-generation commercial microwave radiometer begins returning temperature, humidity, and precipitation observations from space
Weather Stream Inc. today announced that its GEMS2-Amethyst satellite has achieved first light, collecting global atmospheric observations from orbit. Launched March 30 aboard SpaceX's Transporter 16 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, GEMS2-Amethyst is the latest iteration of the company's Global Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) meteorological satellite mission.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260629831930/en/ First-light imagery from Weather Stream’s GEMS2-Amethyst satellite, showing 108 GHz passive microwave atmospheric observations from orbit.
GEMS2-Amethyst carries a dual-band passive microwave radiometer designed and built in-house by Weather Stream’s Boulder, Colorado team. The instrument measures three-dimensional atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles across a nearly 2,000-kilometer swath, providing near global coverage approximately every 12 hours. Integrated with a satellite bus from Denmark-based GomSpace, the satellite reached a sun-synchronous orbit at nearly 600 kilometers with a projected operational life of 3-5 years. Payload calibration activities are now underway ahead of data validation and delivery.
