House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee Hearing on Satellite Data Gaps

摘要

The U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Environment held a joint hearing to conduct ongoing oversight of NOAA's weather and climate satellite programs. The Joint Polar Satellite System 0PSS) and the Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite (GOES) are being developed to provide necessary relief for the U.S. aging weather satellite network. These polar and geostationary satellites are the backbone of the U.S. weather forecasting enterprise, and it is essential that older satellites be replaced before they fail. The failure to do so would result in unacceptably dangerous gaps in the nation's weather forecasting and put at risk Americans who rely on accurate reports for protection from severe weather events. Members discussed remediation strategies for the unavoidable gap in polar coverage and the importance of preventing gaps in the nation's geostationary satellites.