Preparing the Nation to respond to and recover from Space Weather (Invited Presentation)

Space weather poses a significant and complex risk to critical technology and infrastructure and requires a whole-of-community approach. Current national policy positions the United States to respond effectively to space weather storms.

In October 2020, Congress passed legislation which states that the effects of severe space weather on the electric power grid, satellite systems, aviation operations, astronauts in space, and space-based position, navigation, and timing systems could have significant societal, economic, national security, and health impacts. It directs Federal departments and agencies to take action and establishes a non-governmental Space Weather Advisory Group to advise the White House. In December 2021, the United States Space Priorities Framework was released by the White House and it states that the United States will enhance the protection of critical infrastructure from space weather events. In December 2023, the White House released an Implementation Plan to the National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan to serve as a roadmap for coordinated interagency efforts over the next five years.

This presentation will discuss the efforts underway to accelerate action across the space weather enterprise at the direction of the White House to prepare our Nation for the potential significant effects of space weather as we enter solar maximum.