Senators Urge Protection of Satellite Weather Data Amid Service Life Concerns

• •Senators emphasize the importance of reliable satellite weather data for national security.
• •The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) is nearing the end of its service life.
• •Proactive measures are urged to prevent gaps in critical weather data.

U.S. Senators Angus King, John Hickenlooper, and Lisa Murkowski have sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and NOAA Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs, emphasizing the critical need for reliable satellite weather data for national security and public safety. The letter highlights the impending end of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and the importance of its data for weather forecasting and military operations. Recent climate changes have made accurate weather data increasingly vital for various sectors, including agriculture and energy. The senators stress the necessity for the DoD and NOAA to ensure continuity in weather data and to explore commercial satellite systems as potential complements. They express concerns over the degradation of legacy satellite capabilities and urge proactive measures to prevent risks associated with data gaps. The DMSP has been instrumental in supporting hurricane forecasting and severe weather monitoring for decades. The senators advocate for a strategic transition to newer satellite technologies to maintain data reliability.