Space Weather Operations and Research Future Infrastructure Workshop

Objective II of the March 2019 National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan is to, “Develop and Disseminate Accurate and Timely Space Weather Characterization and Forecasts.” This requires the U.S. government to identify and ensure baseline observational capabilities, as well as to improve observations, research and modeling for characterizing and forecasting space weather events. NOAA and other agencies are requesting a workshop to address these objectives.

NOAA, in collaboration and with the support of other interested agencies and stakeholders, is requesting the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, via an appointed ad hoc committee, to organize a workshop that will consider options for continuity and future enhancements of the U.S. space weather operational and research infrastructure. The workshop will:

• Review current and planned U.S. and international space weather-related observational capabilities;
• Discuss baseline space weather observational needs;
• Identify programmatic and technological options to ensure continuity of the baseline, giving particular attention to options to extend the Space Weather Follow On (SWFO) program; and
• Consider options for technology, instrument, and mission development to support in situ and remote sensing space weather observations from either ground- or space-based vantage points, the latter including L-1, L-5, L-4, GEO, and LEO.

A report of the workshop proceedings from the committee will follow.