National Space Weather Coordination Activities: Forging a Partnership Among U.S. Government, Commercial, and Academic Organizations to Improve National Space Weather Capabilities

This talk will trace the evolution of the United States National Space Weather Program (NSWP) from early interests in space environmental phenomena to the broadening of coordination efforts to include U.S. government, industry, academia, and international cooperation. The talk will also highlight the current structure of national efforts in space weather at the White House, the 2019 release of the National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan, and ongoing implementation efforts. Over its 21-year run, the NSWP facilitated substantial improvements in the capabilities of federal space weather services and fostered broad and enduring partnerships with industry and the academic community within the U.S. and internationally. Under the management of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) a coalition of ten federal agencies worked together from 1994 to 2015 to advance the national space weather enterprise. Following the establishment of the National Science and Technology Council’s Space Weather, Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) Task Force in the White House and the deactivation of the NSWP Council, the agencies now play a supporting role in the national effort as Federal engagement graduates to a higher level. The talk will also summarize the role of the commercial and academic National Space Weather Partnership, the annual Space Weather Enterprise Forum (SWEF) and international efforts to advance space weather capabilities and prepare for potential impacts to our global technological infrastructures.