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Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
SPACE WEATHER AND SPACE CLIMATOLOGY: A VISION FOR FUTURE CAPABILITIES
143
An Expanded Role for NASA
Today, NASA missions such as ACE, SOHO (a collaboration with ESA), STEREO, and SDO provide
space weather information without which the forecasting of solar eruptions and their heliospheric propagation would not be possible. NASA and partner agencies NSF, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and
the Office of Naval Research support research to develop the most advanced space environment models.
Many of these models can be applied to space weather forecasting, with a potentially dramatic increase
in forecasting capabilities. NASA already conducts operational activities in a number of areas, including
space weather forecasting for its own human and robotic missions, human spaceflight activities, and communications such as those based on the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. NASA also routinely
provides societally relevant information obtained from models and space-based measurements, such as
from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Earth-monitoring system for the atmosphere,
land, and oceans.
NASA’s Heliophysics Division has developed exceptional capabilities for continuous measurement of
critical space environment parameters but does not have a program that sustains the observational capabilities that are required for meeting societal needs. Consequently, it currently does not support long-term
heliophysics monitoring (with continuously evolving skill) in a manner analogous to the monitoring of the
terrestrial environment and surface climate that the Earth Science Mission Directorate has implemented
over the past two decades.
Implementation Concept
Below is a concept to develop the space weather and climatology (SWaC) capability outlined above.
In addition, Table 7.1 lists space missions enhanced to provide needed SWaC data, and Table 7.2 presents
an illustrative funding scenario for a NASA SWaC program. This new program could be started as soon as
fiscal year 2014, in response to a demonstrated national need. Assuming the availability of the necessary
new funding, the following steps could be taken during the first 5 years:
• Year 1
—Initiate development of an operational solar wind and solar monitoring (L1) mission.
—Initiate NASA center activities to provide real-time data streams from missions and models, to
evaluate and test models, and to continue operating space-weather-relevant research missions.
—Initiate a grants program to develop and advance to operational readiness space environment
specification and forecasting models.
—Initiate continued coordination with space weather forecasting organizations at DOD, NOAA,
NASA, and the commercial sector for transition of relevant observations and models to operations.
• Year 2
—Conduct the development and build phase of an operational L1 mission.
—Expand NASA center activities to coordinate acquisition of space weather data with other agencies
(NOAA, DOD, DOE) and incorporation of data into a proposed new space weather clearinghouse,
providing access to previously unavailable space weather data.
—Expand the grants program to develop and advance to operational readiness space environment
specification and forecasting models.
• Year 3
—Conduct the build phase of an operational L1 mission.
—Begin development of a solar and solar wind monitoring mission for L5.
Solar and Space Physics: A Science for a Technological Society
SPACE WEATHER AND SPACE CLIMATOLOGY: A VISION FOR FUTURE CAPABILITIES
143
An Expanded Role for NASA
Today, NASA missions such as ACE, SOHO (a collaboration with ESA), STEREO, and SDO provide
space weather information without which the forecasting of solar eruptions and their heliospheric propagation would not be possible. NASA and partner agencies NSF, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and
the Office of Naval Research support research to develop the most advanced space environment models.
Many of these models can be applied to space weather forecasting, with a potentially dramatic increase
in forecasting capabilities. NASA already conducts operational activities in a number of areas, including
space weather forecasting for its own human and robotic missions, human spaceflight activities, and communications such as those based on the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. NASA also routinely
provides societally relevant information obtained from models and space-based measurements, such as
from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Earth-monitoring system for the atmosphere,
land, and oceans.
NASA’s Heliophysics Division has developed exceptional capabilities for continuous measurement of
critical space environment parameters but does not have a program that sustains the observational capabilities that are required for meeting societal needs. Consequently, it currently does not support long-term
heliophysics monitoring (with continuously evolving skill) in a manner analogous to the monitoring of the
terrestrial environment and surface climate that the Earth Science Mission Directorate has implemented
over the past two decades.
Implementation Concept
Below is a concept to develop the space weather and climatology (SWaC) capability outlined above.
In addition, Table 7.1 lists space missions enhanced to provide needed SWaC data, and Table 7.2 presents
an illustrative funding scenario for a NASA SWaC program. This new program could be started as soon as
fiscal year 2014, in response to a demonstrated national need. Assuming the availability of the necessary
new funding, the following steps could be taken during the first 5 years:
• Year 1
—Initiate development of an operational solar wind and solar monitoring (L1) mission.
—Initiate NASA center activities to provide real-time data streams from missions and models, to
evaluate and test models, and to continue operating space-weather-relevant research missions.
—Initiate a grants program to develop and advance to operational readiness space environment
specification and forecasting models.
—Initiate continued coordination with space weather forecasting organizations at DOD, NOAA,
NASA, and the commercial sector for transition of relevant observations and models to operations.
• Year 2
—Conduct the development and build phase of an operational L1 mission.
—Expand NASA center activities to coordinate acquisition of space weather data with other agencies
(NOAA, DOD, DOE) and incorporation of data into a proposed new space weather clearinghouse,
providing access to previously unavailable space weather data.
—Expand the grants program to develop and advance to operational readiness space environment
specification and forecasting models.
• Year 3
—Conduct the build phase of an operational L1 mission.
—Begin development of a solar and solar wind monitoring mission for L5.