American Meteorological Society 2019

Air Force wants satellite weather data
The U.S. Air Force has obligated about $7 million of its $20 million budget for commercial satellite weather data.

International focus on greenhouse gas monitoring satellites, sensors
Greenhouse gas monitoring was a hot topic at the American Meteorological Society’s annual conference. International agencies shared plans for a global constellation and companies showcased a new generation of sensors.

Hurricane satellites reveal flooding
Satellites launched in 2016 to track ocean winds offer valuable information on soil moisture and flooding.

Lockheed Martin halts work on GOES-T to wait for instrument fix
Lockheed Martin, prime contractor for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) R Series, has halted work on GOES-T, the next spacecraft scheduled to launch, and turned its attention to its successor, GOES-U, as it waits for Harris Corp. to complete modification of the Advanced Baseline Imager.

What’s next for Air Force weather satellites?
NASA is closed and the U.S. Air Force will discuss what to do next on the program, known as ORS-8, when the government shutdown ends, Ralph Stoffler, Air Force weather director, told SpaceNews.

Glacial pace of space weather modernization
Since the U.S. military is extremely reliant on satellites for communications, intelligence and navigation, the Air Force is striving to augment space weather observations, models and predictions. Unfortunately, progress often occurs at a glacial pace.

American Meteorological Society meeting requires improvisation
The American Meteorological Society estimates 3,700 atmospheric and space scientists will gather this week at its 99th annual meeting with another 700 people who planned to attend were forced to stay away due to the government shutdown. The impact of the shutdown may be even greater, though, because the program remained in flux on Monday.