National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

What National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does

NOAA is the U.S. federal agency responsible for the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere, operating under the U.S. Department of Commerce since its establishment on October 2, 1970. Headquartered at 1401 Constitution Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the agency employs approximately 10,000 personnel (reduced from approximately 12,000 under recent workforce reductions) and operates through key line offices including the National Weather Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Coast Survey, Satellites and Information Service, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and National Centers for Environmental Information.

NOAA's core products and services span weather forecasting and monitoring (via weather.gov and 122 local forecast offices), climate services (climate.gov), ocean and coastal management, fisheries management, satellite operations, research programs, marine and aviation operations, nautical charting, and national marine sanctuaries. Its underlying technology infrastructure includes the GOES-R geostationary satellite series, JPSS polar-orbiting satellites, the N-Wave supercomputing network (expanding through 10-year partnerships with university organizations), Doppler radar networks, ocean observation systems (buoys, floats, gliders), Hurricane Hunter WP-3D Orion aircraft, and uncrewed survey vessels. AI/ML capabilities include the TACLS machine learning system for flash flood forecasting (developed with NASA JPL, achieving 93% warning capture rate) and AI weather models for enhanced forecasting.

NOAA's business model is unique among entities of its scale: as a federal agency, it is funded primarily through annual Congressional appropriations (approximately $6.2 billion for FY2026) supplemented by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. All services including weather forecasts, climate data, satellite imagery, nautical charts, and research products are provided free of charge to the public, with no commercial pricing model. The agency serves a highly diversified customer base including the general public (via 1 billion+ annual weather.gov page views and 95% U.S. population reach through NOAA Weather Radio), federal agencies (Coast Guard, Department of Defense), state and local governments, commercial fishing industry, maritime industry, aviation sector, and the scientific research community.

Name

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Legal name

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Website

https://noaa.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

NOAA is the U.S. federal agency under the Department of Commerce that monitors and forecasts weather, climate, oceans, and fisheries, operating satellites, research vessels, and a national network of forecast offices. It serves the American public, federal and state agencies, and commercial industries through free publicly funded services with a $6.2 billion FY2026 budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Environmental Science Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Space Research and Technology (92711)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Data, Monitoring, Remote Sensing & Early Warning (BPADALAN)

Keywords

• Weather forecasting services
• Climate monitoring data
• Oceanographic observation
• Marine fisheries management
• Nautical charting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Federal Appropriations: NOAA is funded primarily through annual federal appropriations from Congress as part of the Department of Commerce budget. The agency receives funding for operations, research, satellite programs, and grants.
2. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act: NOAA receives supplemental funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act for specific programs including climate resilience, habitat restoration, and infrastructure upgrades.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NOAA is the U.S. federal agency that delivers nationwide weather forecasting, severe weather warnings, climate monitoring, ocean and coastal observation, fisheries management, nautical charting, and environmental satellite operations. Its products include public forecasts and warnings via weather.gov and NOAA Weather Radio, climate datasets, nautical charts, fisheries permits, marine sanctuary management, hurricane tracking through the National Hurricane Center, and operational Earth-observation satellites, all provided free of charge.

Product overview

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is a federal agency providing comprehensive environmental monitoring, prediction, and management services through an integrated portfolio of products and programs. The core offerings include Weather Forecasting and Monitoring (via National Weather Service), Climate Services (climate.gov), Ocean and Coasts management, Fisheries Management, Satellite Operations, Research Programs, Marine and Aviation Operations, Charting and Navigation, National Marine Sanctuaries, and Education/Outreach. Supporting digital products include the Staff Directory and NSD Mobile Application for internal operations, SASH Helpline for employee support, and the Dolphin and Whale 911 App for public marine wildlife reporting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weather Forecasting and Monitoring Comprehensive national weather, climate, and atmospheric monitoring service providing forecasts, severe weather warnings, and storm tracking for the public, federal agencies, aviation, and commercial users across the United States and global regions.
• Climate Services Climate data analysis, monitoring, and prediction services including El Niño/La Niña tracking, temperature records, and long-term climate trend analysis for policymakers, scientists, and the public.
• Ocean and Coastal Management Ocean observation, coastal management, marine habitat conservation, and digital coastal mapping services (e.g., NOAA Digital Coast) supporting coastal communities and resource managers.
• Fisheries Management Sustainable fisheries management, marine species protection, seafood safety certification, and regulatory oversight for commercial and recreational fisheries in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.
• Environmental Satellite Operations Geostationary (GOES-R series) and polar-orbiting (JPSS) environmental satellite operations providing high-resolution imagery, atmospheric measurements, and Earth observation data for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and research.
• Research Programs Research programs in atmospheric science, ocean exploration, and environmental prediction conducted by NOAA research offices and cooperative institutes with universities and partner laboratories.
• Marine and Aviation Operations Marine and aviation operations including NOAA Hurricane Hunter (WP-3D Orion) aircraft missions, research vessel operations, and uncrewed hydrographic survey vessels used to collect environmental data and conduct search and rescue.
• Charting and Navigation Nautical charting, hydrographic surveying, and coastal mapping services providing the authoritative source of marine navigation charts used by commercial shipping, the U.S. Coast Guard, and recreational mariners.
• National Marine Sanctuaries Designation and management of National Marine Sanctuaries for protection of underwater cultural and natural resources, including reef, shipwreck, and marine habitat conservation.
• Education and Outreach Educational resources, classroom materials, and public programs such as the Student Airborne Research Program designed to build public understanding of weather, climate, ocean, and atmospheric science.
• National Hurricane Center Forecasts and Warnings Tropical cyclone forecasts, hurricane tracking, and storm surge warnings issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Atlantic and Pacific basins serving the public, emergency managers, and media.
• Office of Law Enforcement Enforcement of federal marine resource laws, fisheries regulations, and protection of endangered marine species conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement.
• Dolphin and Whale 911 App Mobile application enabling the public to report stranded, injured, or dead marine mammals and sea turtles to NOAA's stranding response network for rapid intervention.
• SASH Helpline 24/7 confidential helpline and victim advocacy services for NOAA employees and affiliates experiencing sexual assault or harassment, operated with partners including RAINN.
• eDNA Tracking Tool for Sunflower Sea Star Recovery Environmental DNA (eDNA) tracking tool launched to monitor recovery of the sunflower sea star population along the Pacific Coast using genetic material detected in water samples.
• Harmful Algal Bloom Prediction System Forecast and prediction system for harmful algal blooms in U.S. inland and coastal waters, providing early warning to protect public health, drinking water supplies, and coastal recreation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides hurricane forecasts that save an estimated $3 billion annually in avoided damages
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratorycoreTechnology or Integration · 16 June 2026NOAA's National Weather Service collaborates with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop and deploy the TACLS machine learning system for flash flood forecasting. The system analyzes satellite data to provide near real-time flood predictions, successfully capturing 93% of flash-flood warnings in testing.
• Gogo (SD Government)coreTechnology or Integration · 4 June 2026SD Government, a unit of Gogo, secured a $7.5 million multi-year blanket purchase agreement with NOAA to provide L-Band satellite communications, ground infrastructure, and cybersecurity solutions for NOAA's Hurricane Hunter aircraft fleet ahead of the 2026 hurricane season.
• Viasat (via Lockheed Martin)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2026Viasat was selected by Lockheed Martin to supply satellite communications technology for NOAA's next-generation C-130J Hercules aircraft, supporting critical environmental data collection and weather forecasting. The aircraft are expected to enter service by 2030.
• University of Alabama Water Research HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026NOAA's National Water Center co-locates with the USGS Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility and Alabama Water Institute at the University of Alabama, creating a rare concentration of federal and academic water research expertise for collaborative research and the FLOW Academy training program.
• Woolpert and Chance MaritimecoreTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2026NOAA is conducting fully uncrewed offshore hydrographic surveys in the Gulf of Mexico using multiple uncrewed survey vessels designed and piloted by Chance Maritime, collecting 1,391 square nautical miles of high-resolution data to map deep-sea corals and update nautical charting products.
• New England FishermencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 May 2026Nearly 150 New England fishermen have installed temperature and oxygen sensors on their fishing equipment as part of a citizen science program, contributing approximately 23 million temperature records to NOAA's climate and weather models. The program received $2 million from Massachusetts, $200,000 from the Nature Conservancy, and $120,000 from NOAA.
• The Metals Company (TMC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026NOAA certified TMC's deep-sea mining application for exploration in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific Ocean, overseeing the regulatory review process under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act. NOAA must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement before any mining approval.
• Nova Southeastern UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026NOAA designated Nova Southeastern University's National Coral Reef Institute as the Atlantic Reef Research Coordination Institute, making NSU the coordinating hub for coral reef research and restoration across Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The designation authorizes increased federal funding.
• UCAID/Internet2coreTechnology or Integration · 22 April 2026NOAA is expanding its N-Wave supercomputing network through partnerships with university-based organizations including UCAID/Internet2, Indiana University, the University of Maryland, UCAR, and Pacific Northwest GigaPop to manage the national network backbone supporting approximately 25 major laboratories and 70 research hubs.
• New England FishermenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026A citizen science collaboration where fishermen collect ocean temperature and oxygen data using high-tech sensors on their traps, contributing over 23 million temperature records to regional climate and weather models. The Gulf of Maine is warming faster than 99% of the world's oceans.
• Bay Area Water Agencies (AQPI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026A coalition of Bay Area water agencies partnered with Colorado State University, UC San Diego, and NOAA to deploy a $19.7 million radar network called AQPI with six new installations that can track atmospheric river storms with faster and higher-resolution updates than existing National Weather Service systems.
• Texas State University Meadows CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2026The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University launched the Texas One Water Hub with support from the Texas Wellspring Fund, H-E-B, and NOAA to advance integrated water management strategies across Texas.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration): U.S. federal scientific agency with overlapping Earth observation, satellite, and atmospheric research missions; co-develops technology with NOAA (e.g., TACLS ML system via JPL) and operates complementary space and Earth science programs.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): U.S. Department of the Interior science agency that co-locates with NOAA at the University of Alabama Water Research Hub and shares exposure to the same federal workforce reduction pressures; comparable in scale and public-sector science delivery model.
• European Space Agency (ESA): Intergovernmental space agency operating Earth observation satellite programs (e.g., Copernicus precursors) comparable to NOAA's GOES-R/JPSS satellite operations and joint earth system science work.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): U.S. federal agency administering environmental quality programs and air/water standards that overlap with NOAA's atmospheric and water monitoring missions and share political exposure to administration policy shifts.

Direct peers

• UK Met Office: United Kingdom's national meteorological service, providing weather and climate services, supercomputing-based forecasting, and statutory public warnings — the closest international structural analog to NOAA's National Weather Service.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC): Canadian federal department delivering weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and environmental science — directly comparable mandate, funding model, and public service role to NOAA.
• Copernicus (EU Earth Observation Programme): EU's flagship Earth observation and monitoring program delivering satellite-based atmospheric, marine, and climate data — the principal international counterpart to NOAA's environmental satellite and monitoring portfolio.
• Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA): Japanese government agency providing weather forecasting, tsunami warnings, and climate monitoring — comparable mandate and operating model, including typhoon forecasting analogous to NOAA's hurricane mission.
• Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD): Germany's national meteorological service operating numerical weather prediction, climate monitoring, and public warning services — comparable in scope, supercomputing reliance, and public-sector governance.
• Bureau of Meteorology (Australia): Australian government agency providing weather, climate, water, and oceanographic services across a continent-spanning EEZ — directly comparable in mandate, scale, and tropical cyclone forecasting role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NOAA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/noaa
• Facebookfacebook.com/NOAA
• Instagraminstagram.com/noaa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/noaa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments29 records

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Frequently asked questions about National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration