"New report finds our next-generation weather satellites are threatened by budget overruns, blown deadlines, and mismanagement."
Members of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology are worried about the future of U.S. weather satellites, which may include a gap in coverage that could leave the U.S. without crucial satellite data for over a year. NOAA (the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration) maintains two types of satellites: Geostationary (or GOES series), which provide continuous images of the earth from a fixed point about 22,000 miles up, and Polar-orbiting (or JPSS series), which circle 500 miles above the planet and provide the images used in long-range forecasting.
A legacy of mismanagement, budget overruns, and slipping deadlines means that satellites in both programs may well fail before their replacements are launched and become fully functional.
Last year, the committee commissioned the Government Accountability Office to conduct a new study into NOAA’s weather satellite program.
Reports detailing that study were made public today, and Representative Lamar Smith, (R-TX), who chairs the committee, says he is disappointed by the findings.
"The ability to make timely and accurate weather forecasts should be a top priority for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)," said Smith.
"Unfortunately our next generation weather satellites have been plagued by problems, including dysfunctional management, delays and cost overruns.
As a result, gaps in our domestic weather data could jeopardize our forecasting capabilities, putting American lives and property at risk."
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