Developing Magnetic Measurement Solutions for the World Magnetic Model
Through MagQuest, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is supporting the development of possible magnetic measurement solutions for the World Magnetic Model. Iota Technology emerged as one of three winners in the payload segment of the competition in September 2023, securing funding for a satellite mission.
The World Magnetic Model (WMM), a joint product of the NGA and the United Kingdom’s Defence Geographic Centre, corrects for the difference between Earth’s geographic and magnetic poles, enabling accurate navigation and orientation. It is updated every five years to account for changes in the Earth’s magnetic field and is embedded in numerous systems worldwide, from smartphones to military equipment. The production of the WMM currently relies on space-based magnetic field measurements provided by the European Space Agency’s Swarm mission.