White House and Agencies Focus on Space Weather Concerns, EOS
“[Tamara Dickinson, a senior policy analyst with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)] said that there has been an increased awareness about space weather in the White House and that President Barack Obama recently has requested briefing memos on the topic. She highlighted several efforts the administration is taking related to space weather, including a forthcoming national Earth observation strategy, which could be released in July and will include an assessment of space weather. She explained that the strategy document will be part of the fiscal year 2014 presidential budget request and that it will be updated every 3 years.”
Keith’s note: Given our civilization’s ever-expanding reliance upon space-based assets, a sprawling terrestrial power and communications grid, and plans for human travel in (and beyond) low Earth orbit, this makes a lot of sense and is long over due.
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Biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA Space Biologist and Payload integrator, Editor of NASAWatch.com and Astrobiology.com, Lapsed climber, Explorer, Synaesthete, Former Challenger Center board member...

9 replies on “Increased OSTP Focus on Space Weather”

  1. Keith said, “Given our civilization’s ever-expanding reliance upon space-based
    assets, a sprawling terrestrial power and communications grid, and plans
    for human travel in (and beyond) low Earth orbit, this makes a lot of
    sense and is long over due.”

    No argument at all, I think Keith is absolutely correct. I am a little skeptical, however, that this comes up during an election cycle. When Orbital twice lost the carbon observing satellite on two separate launches because of fairings, NASA not only gave them a pass, it rewarded them with a COTS contract. If Obama follows through on this it will be great.

      1. What was the second satellite that was lost due to bad fairing operation?
        I thought it was the OCO, but it could have been a weather satellite. I remember the discussion here expressing frustration that Orbital lost a payload twice because of failed fairings. Two weather observing satellite losses are a big deal given the increased age of the satellites now up and a failure to replace to “save” money.
        I trust Keith to be the final arbiter on space facts.

        1. It was the Glory, which was to study aerosols.  Also, let’s not forget that QuickTOMS, an ozone measuring satellite, was also lost due to a Taurus launch failure in 2001.  That’s 3 Earth Observing missions that Orbital firmly planted into the ocean.

          1.  Thanks for the info! I now understand the  joke by Dennis in another part of Keith’s Blog.

            “The old joke about OSC = Ocean Submergence Corporation.

            I have an OSC sponsored Ballistically implanted reef off the coast of Florida.”

  2. The political ad season is heating up in Missouri and I just saw an attack ad against Senator Claire McCaskill that highlighted all the “stupid” things she was promoting and one was studying the weather…. on Venus????? (dramatically mocking voice). The funny thing is all those things the ads mentioned I was in favor of. Whoops. Good for her, and good thing for Missouri she’s in office for them.

  3. I think the weather activities and history of Venus are useful for deducing the possible future of Earth’s weather, providing data that we can’t get directly from either the Sun or the Earth.

    Steve

    1. I fear we may really cook our children sooner than we think. Venus study could be a good argument to get us to come to our senses.

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