The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has signed a memorandum of agreement with NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Department of the Air Force to strengthen coordination and expand collaboration on space weather research-to-operations-to-research.
Under the agreement, the agencies will collaborate on transitioning models, observations, forecast applications, techniques and other capabilities from research into operations to improve space weather forecasts and services, NOAA said Friday.
The agencies will also provide and acknowledge feedback and exchange operational data on the impacts of space weather on critical infrastructure.
The collaboration addresses the need for a formal interagency process for transitioning space weather forecasting capabilities as identified by the White House Space Weather Operations, Research and Mitigation Subcommittee.
“Strengthening collaborations and coordination across the federal government in transitioning space weather research to operations is critical for minimizing and mitigating the potential consequences of space weather events, and for supporting the growing commercial space enterprise,” said Stephen Volz, director of NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service.