NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER
STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Product of the
SPACE WEATHER OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, and MITIGATION
WORKING GROUP
SPACE WEATHER, SECURITY, and HAZARDS SUBCOMMITTEE
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND and NATIONAL SECURITY
of the
NATIONAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
March 2019
NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
About the National Science and Technology Council
The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) is the principal means by which the Executive
Branch coordinates science and technology policy across the diverse entities that make up the Federal
research and development enterprise. A primary objective of the NSTC is to ensure science and
technology policy decisions and programs are consistent with the President's stated goals. The NSTC
prepares research and development strategies that are coordinated across Federal agencies aimed at
accomplishing multiple national goals. The work of the NSTC is organized under committees that
oversee subcommittees and working groups focused on different aspects of science and technology.
More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/nstc.
About the Office of Science and Technology Policy
The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was established by the National Science and
Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to provide the President and others within
the Executive Office of the President with advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological
aspects of the economy, national security, homeland security, health, foreign relations, the
environment, and the technological recovery and use of resources, among other topics. OSTP leads
interagency science and technology policy coordination efforts, assists the Office of Management and
Budget with an annual review and analysis of Federal research and development in budgets, and serves
as a source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major
policies, plans, and programs of the Federal Government. More information is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp.
About the Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation Working
Group
The Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) Working Group is an interagency
group organized under the Space Weather, Security, and Hazards Subcommittee, which is part of the
NSTC Committee on Homeland and National Security. The SWORM Working Group seeks to coordinate
Federal Government departments and agencies to enhance national capabilities in promoting
resilience to the effects of space weather.
About this Document
This document was developed by the SWORM Working Group. Public input into the development of this
document was received through a Federal Register (83 FR 17526) request for information solicitation.
Responses to the request for information, along with input from National Security Council and National
Space Council staff, informed the development of the National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan.
This document was reviewed by the Committee on Homeland and National Security, and was finalized
and published by OSTP. The SWORM Working Group will review, update, and reissue this document
every four years or as needed.
Copyright Information
This document is a work of the United States Government and is in the public domain (see 17 U.S.C.
§105). Subject to the stipulations below, it may be distributed and copied with acknowledgmen
t to
OST
P. Copyrights to graphics included in this document are reserved by the original copyright holder
s
or their assignees and are used here under the government’s license and by permission. Requests to
u
se any images must be made to the provider identified in the image credits or to OSTP if no provid
er
is
identified. Printed in the United States of America, 2019
.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
NATIONAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
Chair Executive Director
Kelvin Droegemeier, Director, OSTP Chloé Kontos, NSTC
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND AND NATIONAL SECURITY
Co-Chairs
Aaron Miles, Principal Assistant Director,
Mary Miller, Performing the Duties of Assistant
National Security and International Affairs,
Secretary of Defense for Research and
OSTP
Engineering, DoD
William Bryan, Senior Official Performing the
Duties of the Under Secretary for Science and
Technology, DHS
SPACE WEATHER OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND MITIGATION WORKING
GROUP
Co-Chairs
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Homeland Security
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Members
Departments
Department of Commerce
Department of Defense
Department of Energy
Department of Homeland Security
Department of the Interior
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Agencies and Service Branches
Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
Executive Office of The President
National Security Council
National Space Council
Office of Management and Budget
Office of Science and Technology Policy
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
National Science Foundation
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
United States Air Force
United States Geological Survey
United States Navy
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THE WHITE HOUSE
s�
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Table of Contents
Abbreviations and Acronyms....................................................................................................................... v
Objective I: Enhance the Protection of National Security, Homeland Security, and Commercial Assets
Improve the Understanding of and Assess Vulnerabilities of Critical Infrastructures and National
Objective II: Develop and Disseminate Accurate and Timely Space Weather Characterization and
Objective III: Establish Plans and Procedures for Responding to and Recovering from Space Weather
Use of this Document .................................................................................................................................. vi
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... vii
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1
and Operations against the Effects of Space Weather ............................................................................... 4
Security Assets to Space Weather Events............................................................................................ 4
Develop and Test Technologies that Protect and Mitigate Critical Systems and Assets .................. 5
Forecasts ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
Identify and Ensure Baseline Observational Capabilities................................................................... 7
Improve Observations and Modeling for Characterization and Forecasting..................................... 8
Ensure Timely Dissemination of Characterizations and Forecasts Useful to Consumers................. 9
Events........................................................................................................................................................... 11
Improve Planning for Space Weather Events.................................................................................... 11
Test and Evaluate Plans and Procedures for Space Weather Events...............................................12
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................. 13
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Abbreviations and Acronyms
DHS Department of Homeland Security
DOC Department of Commerce
DOD Department of Defense
DOE Department of Energy
DOI Department of the Interior
DOS Department of State
DOT Department of Transportation
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
FCC Federal Communications Commission
HHS Department of Health and Human Services
NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NSF National Science Foundation
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Use of this Document
The National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan (Strategy and Action Plan) identifies strategic
objectives and high-level actions necessary to achieve a space-weather-ready Nation. Each action
includes a proposed timeline for completion. The timelines are defined as short-term (six months to
two years), medium-term (two to five years), long-term (five to ten years), and ongoing (expected to be
repeated within the ten-year horizon). Each action includes a list of relevant agencies, with the
recommended lead agency listed first, but does not prescribe a specific approach. Participation by
additional agencies not listed will benefit many actions. To achieve the objectives identified in this
strategy, the SWORM Working Group will develop an internal implementation plan with specific
deliverables, timelines, and metrics for success.
This strategy is intended to inform the policy development process. Any commitment of Federal
resources to support the activities outlined in this document will be determined through the budget
process. Strong coordination and collaboration across Federal agencies, the academic community, the
private sector, and international allies and partners will improve America's ability to understand,
forecast, and prepare for space weather events.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Executive Summary
Space weather comprises a set of naturally occurring phenomena that have the potential to adversely
affect critical functions, assets, and operations in space and on Earth. Extreme space weather events
can degrade or damage critical infrastructures, which may result in direct or cascading failures across
key services such as electric power, communications, water supply, healthcare, and transportation.
Preparing for space weather events will help protect infrastructure and activities vital to national
security and the economy of the United States.
Under the 2015 National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan, the Federal Government contributed
to an improved understanding of space weather events and their potential effects on critical
infrastructure and technologies. The 2015 Plan helped coordinate efforts to enhance research and
development and to drive the improvement of operational capabilities, both forecasting and
mitigation, through partnerships with the commercial sector, academia, and partner nations. As the
United States seeks to increase its focus on and engage in new activities in the complex domain of
space, and as the national dependence on technology continues to grow dramatically, this update to
the National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan provides an opportunity to further national
preparedness for space weather events.
This National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan (hereafter referred to as the Strategy and Action
Plan) identifies key objectives and activities that will improve national preparedness for space weather
events over the next 10 years. It leverages existing national efforts and seeks to align ongoing and future
space weather activities to increase associated Federal Government efficiency and to enhance
American innovation.
The Strategy and Action Plan seeks to achieve three objectives, each supported by a set of high-level
actions, to enhance the Nation’s preparedness for space weather events:
1. Enhance the Protection of National Security, Homeland Security, and Commercial Assets and
Operations against the Effects of Space Weather;
2. Develop and Disseminate Accurate and Timely Space Weather Characterization and Forecasts;
and
3. Establish Plans and Procedures for Responding to and Recovering from Space Weather Events.
Efforts to achieve these objectives and link outcomes among the three objectives will help safeguard
national security assets and critical infrastructure, crewed and uncrewed space exploration, and foster
growth in U.S. commercial space activities.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Introduction
Space weather comprises a set of naturally occurring phenomena that have the potential to adversely
affect critical functions, assets, and operations in space and on Earth. Extreme space weather events
can degrade or damage critical infrastructures, which may result in direct or cascading failures across
key services such as electric power, communications, water supply, healthcare, and transportation. The
Sun can create space weather events that have the potential to substantially disrupt or damage critical
functions, assets, and operations in space and on Earth, including critical infrastructure and technology
systems.
1
Solar flares, which include large eruptions of x-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation from
the Sun’s surface, can temporarily degrade communications signals that transit Earth’s atmosphere.
Coronal mass ejections, which can launch a billion tons of solar plasma towards Earth, can create
geomagnetic disturbances that last for days. These disturbances are a natural form of electromagnetic
pulse, or EMP, that can cause widespread disruption or damage to the electric power grid, resulting in
large-scale blackouts. Both solar flares and coronal mass ejections often occur together with solar
radiation storms, which produce elevated levels of energetic particles that can be dangerous for
humans in space and may pose a risk to passengers and crew in aircraft. Space weather phenomena,
such as geomagnetic disturbances and solar radiation storms, may disrupt or damage electronics in
exposed systems, including satellites that are critical for communications, global navigation (provided,
for example, by the Global Positioning System, or GPS), national security missions, remote sensing, and
other applications.
A space weather event in March 1989 triggered an electric power blackout in Canada, resulting in
millions of customers without power for hours, and caused damage to some of the electric power
transformers and other grid components in Canada and the United States. A series of space weather
events in October 2003 disrupted infrastructure functions and technological systems across the globe,
causing commercial airlines flights at high latitudes to be rerouted and electric power blackouts in
Sweden. More recently, a relatively modest space weather event in November 2015 disrupted air traffic
control systems in Sweden, resulting in the closing of the country's airspace for more than an hour.
In addition to their direct effects on critical infrastructure, extreme space weather events can result in
cascading failures that would affect key services such as water supply, healthcare, finance, agriculture,
and transportation. Though less dramatic, low-intensity space weather events occur frequently. The
combined effect of these more frequent space weather events can degrade or shorten the lifetimes of
infrastructure systems, increasing costs and making it more challenging to maintain reliability of
service and execute national security, homeland security, and private sector operations.
Understanding and preparing for space weather events are critical to national security, the economy,
infrastructure services, remote sensing, space exploration, and technology innovations that rely on
communications systems and GPS for positioning, navigation, and timing services. Guided by national
space weather policy, which encourages engagement with international partners, academia, and other
elements of the private sector, substantial Federal activity has contributed to an improved
understanding of space weather events and their potential effects on critical infrastructure and
technologies. This includes the development of research programs to improve the understanding of
1
Presidential Policy Directive 21 (PPD-21), titled “Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience,” identifies 16
critical infrastructure sectors that are so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would
have a debilitating effect on national security, the economy, public health or safety, or any combination thereof.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
space weather events; deployment of new research platforms in space and on the ground; development
and deployment of forecast models that spans the Sun to Earth; and deployment of observation
platforms that inform forecasting capabilities. Federal departments and agencies (hereafter, referred
to collectively as agencies) have worked together to develop space weather benchmarks
2
that quantify
the intensity of an extreme space weather event, conduct a socio-economic analysis of the potential
consequences of a space weather event, and share space radiation data from the GPS constellation of
satellites to improve the research and development (R&D) needed to improve operational forecast
models. Together, these efforts have increased awareness of and enhanced national preparedness and
planning for the effects of space weather, strengthened global collaboration with partner nations, and
furthered U.S. leadership in the space and hazard preparedness domains.
This National Space Weather Strategy and Action Plan (hereafter referred to as the Strategy and Action
Plan) provides a framework for continued Federal coordination and engagement to address gaps and
opportunities identified across national policies. This includes promoting American resilience to the
effects of space weather with a focus on critical infrastructure; enhancing operational capabilities to
bolster national security; and further developing technologies and capabilities to support human
exploration and commercial space activities. This Strategy and Action Plan integrates and seeks to
inform the implementation of elements from the 2017 National Security Strategy, Space Policy
Directive-1 (SPD-1) titled “Reinvigorating America’s Human Space Exploration Program” (December
2017), and SPD-3 titled “National Space Traffic Management Policy” (June 2018).
The National Security Strategy calls for promoting American resilience through improved risk
management, building a culture of preparedness, reducing vulnerability of U.S. critical infrastructure
to electromagnetic attacks, and improving plans through exercises. Additionally it identifies the need
for America to lead in research, technology, and inventions through collaborations with allies and
partners, leveraging private capital and expertise, and rapidly fielding innovations. The National
Security Strategy also identifies the need for the United States to maintain leadership and freedom of
action in space, including advancing space as a priority domain, promoting space commerce, and
maintaining the lead in exploration. Enhanced resilience to space weather events will contribute to
these elements of National Security Strategy.
SPD-1 calls for the Nation to lead an innovative and sustainable program of exploration with
commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar system and to bring
back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. SPD-3 calls for the Federal Government to establish
an updated architecture for space traffic management, enhance space situational awareness, and
provide associated data in a way that encourages innovation and maintains American leadership in
space. Enhanced resilience to space weather events will help enable implementation of these national
space policies. This is part of broader American resilience, and is critical to sustainable space
operations, exploration, and commercialization.
The Strategy and Action Plan establishes three key objectives to better prepare the Nation for the
effects of space weather:
NSTC, SWORM Subcommittee, Space Weather Phase 1 Benchmarks, June 2018,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Space-Weather-Phase-1-Benchmarks-Report.pdf
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Objective I: Enhance the Protection of National Security, Homeland Security, and Commercial
Assets and Operations against the Effects of Space Weather
Space weather poses a risk to civilian critical infrastructure, defense and intelligence systems, and
military operations. Strengthening critical infrastructure security and resilience to space weather
events requires an understanding of and a reduction in critical infrastructure vulnerabilities to the
effects of space weather. Space weather can damage or disrupt space-based assets, jeopardize or
impair crewed and uncrewed space activities, and adversely affect the ability to track objects in space.
Understanding vulnerabilities to and protecting against the effects of space weather should inform
satellite and spacecraft owners’ and operators’ design and engineering plans, mitigation strategies,
and operational decision-making in the space environment. Space weather effects on ground systems,
such as radars, or space-, air-, and ground-based communication links, pose a risk to national and
homeland security. Developing and refining strategies to protect against and mitigate the potential
disruptive effects of space weather, such as hardening critical assets, can minimize space weather risks
and enhance resilience.
Objective II: Develop and Disseminate Accurate and Timely Space Weather Characterization and
Forecasts
Timely and accurate space weather characterization and forecasts are critical to inform the planning,
execution, and decision-making of operations for a diverse set of stakeholders including critical
infrastructure owners and operators, the military, and private sector satellite owners and operators.
Improved understanding, observations, forecasts, and models for space weather events can lead to
better quality and more timely space weather products and services as well as contribute to supporting
safe, stable, and sustainable space activities.
Objective III: Establish Plans and Procedures for Responding to and Recovering from Space
Weather Events
The ability to rapidly respond to and recover from extreme space weather events requires coordinated
efforts and established plans and procedures. Conducting exercises to test and validate these plans and
strategies can allow relevant stakeholders to practice and refine them. An improved understanding of
critical system and asset vulnerabilities to the effects of space weather (Objective I), and a robust
forecasting capability that can enable more timely and accurate services and products (Objective II) are
important to inform Federal, State, local governments’, private sector and others’ efforts, capabilities,
and investments in managing space weather events.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Objective I: Enhance the Protection of National Security, Homeland Security,
and Commercial Assets and Operations against the Effects of Space Weather
The evolving dependence on technology and infrastructure systems coupled with the increasing degree
of interconnectedness of these systems has increased the vulnerability of the Nation. There is a need to
assess and address the vulnerabilities of national security capabilities to space weather events,
including prioritizing risk management of national security mission planning and situational
awareness.
The outcomes of these activities will serve as key inputs to manage the risk of space weather events. To
enhance the resilience of the American homeland and national security assets to the effects of space
weather, the Federal Government should work with partners to achieve the following:
Improve the Understanding of and Assess Vulnerabilities of Critical Infrastructures and National
Security Assets to Space Weather Events
A more thorough assessment is needed to identify the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure systems
and national security assets, representative of those deployed across the globe, to the effects of space
weather events. Assessing vulnerabilities can inform efforts to identify and protect those infrastructure
systems, assets, and technologies at greatest risk to space weather and inform pragmatic approaches
to enhance national preparedness. Obtaining an actionable understanding of the effects of space
weather and the way it can affect individual systems and propagate across interconnected systems and
assets requires improved models. In addition to models, benchmarks of space weather phenomena can
provide useful input for creating engineering standards, developing vulnerability assessments,
establishing decision points and thresholds for action, understanding risk, developing more effective
mitigation procedures and practices, and enhancing response and recovery planning and the execution
of the national security mission, national critical functions, and national essential functions.
1.1 Refine space weather benchmarks that provide quantitative baselines to assess the
intensity of space weather events. This includes refining the Phase 1 Benchmarks that were
released by the National Science and Technology Council in 2018 for induced geo-electric
fields, ionizing radiation, ionospheric disturbance, solar radio bursts, and upper atmospheric
expansion. These benchmarks should be in a form useful to the owners and operators of
systems and assets that contribute to critical national functions. [Mid-term; Department of
Commerce (DOC), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), Department
of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of State (DOS),
Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Science Foundation (NSF)]
1.2 Assess the vulnerability of priority critical infrastructure systems and national security
assets to the effects of space weather and use the results to inform risk management.
Vulnerability assessments should include interdependencies and failure modes among
sectors that could contribute to cascading failures. This action should include assessments of
national critical functions and associated priority critical infrastructure and national security
systems, assets, and networks, representative of those deployed across the globe and in
space. Federal agencies should work with private sector critical infrastructure owners,
operators, and users, as appropriate, prioritizing national security assets and the energy,
communications, and financial sectors. This action should also include efforts to develop
hazard maps of the United States and space to improve estimations of how space weather
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
can affect technology. [Mid-term; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOI, DOT, Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Treasury
(Treasury), DOI, and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)]
1.3 Model the effects of space weather on space-, air-, and ground-based national critical
functions and associated priority critical infrastructure and national security systems,
assets, and networks. This action should include efforts to identify existing and develop new
operational models that predict space weather effects on infrastructure. This action will help
inform the effectiveness of mitigation approaches and should seek nationwide or global
models, as appropriate. In conducting this research and development, Federal agencies will
work with academia and private sector critical infrastructure owners, operators, and users,
as appropriate, to test and validate these models. [Mid-term; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOI, DOS,
DOT, EPA, HHS, NASA, NRC, NSF, and Treasury]
1.4 Identify and assess the effects of frequent and extreme space weather events on
operations and missions. To better quantify and manage the risk space weather poses to
critical assets and national security missions, there is a need to identify and assess the
consequences of both direct and indirect effects of space weather. Complemented by the
vulnerability assessments conducted in action 1.2 and the system modeling developments in
action 1.3, these assessments can support a more holistic understanding of risks to inform
planning activities for extreme and routine space weather events. [Mid-term; DOD/DHS, and
DOC]
1.5 Assess the cost of space weather effects on the operations and implementation of
critical missions. Space weather events—both frequent, lower-intensity events and extreme
events—can negatively affect the execution of critical operations and missions. These effects
can range from delay and avoidance to replacement of damaged systems. Agencies should
assess the cost of space weather on the implementation of critical missions to better prioritize
investments to mitigate the effects of space weather. [Mid-term; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOI,
DOS, DOT, EPA, HHS, NASA, and Treasury]
Develop and Test Technologies that Protect and Mitigate Critical Systems and Assets
Developing and deploying methods, techniques, and technologies is important for minimizing and
mitigating the potential consequences of space weather events, both frequent and extreme. Activities
to harden or increase the resilience of homeland and national security critical assets and systems in
space, air, and on the ground are key for preparing the Nation against the effects of space weather.
1.6 Identify and prioritize R&D necessary to enhance the security and resilience of critical
functions and national security assets to the effects of space weather. Identifying R&D
gaps in science and engineering can inform efforts to mitigate and address space weather
risks on critical functions and assets. Agencies should work across Federal laboratories, the
private sector, and academia, as appropriate, to identify and prioritize R&D needs to improve
the security and resilience of infrastructure systems, assets, and networks that provide
critical national functions and support the national security mission. This should include
identifying new designs or engineering approaches that enable systems to withstand the
effects of space weather, informed by the results of 1.4. [Short-term; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE,
HHS, NASA, and NSF]
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
1.7 Test, evaluate, and deploy technologies and devices to mitigate the effects of space
weather on critical functions and assets. This action should include Sector Specific
Agencies’
3
plans and pilot programs to test devices that mitigate the effects of space weather
on communication systems, geomagnetic disturbances on the electrical power grid, or
radiation events on satellites. It should also include the development of processes to improve
the transition of research approaches to operations, and utilize incentives and cost recovery
mechanisms to encourage private sector participation. [Mid-term; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, HHS,
and NASA]
1.8 Support the development and use of standards for improved resilience of equipment to
space-weather events. Through participation in cross-sector, multilateral, or bilateral fora,
the United States should seek to encourage the development of relevant open, consensus-
based international standards that focus on improving resilience of equipment. These
standards should include designing and engineering resilience into equipment or identifying
best practices for shielding or hardening infrastructure systems, assets, and networks to the
effects of space weather. [Ongoing; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOS, DOT, HHS, NASA, and NRC]
Each of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors defined in PPD-21 is assigned a Sector-Specific Agency that has
specialized knowledge about the sector. Each Sector-Specific Agency helps its designated sector coordinate
and collaborate with the Federal government to strengthen security and resilience of critical infrastructure.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Objective II: Develop and Disseminate Accurate and Timely Space Weather
Characterization and Forecasts
Timely and accurate characterization
4
and forecasting of how and where space weather events change
the operational environment in space and on Earth will enhance the security and resilience of critical
infrastructure and improve the ability to protect national security assets. Industry uses
characterizations and forecasts to inform operations, such as modifications to electric power grid
operations, changes in commercial flight paths, delaying surveying and oil drilling operations, and
modifying activities in space. Providing regional and global characterization of space weather
conditions, which can affect communications, surveillance, and navigation, helps enable the execution
of national security missions across all domains. Developing and advancing forecasting capabilities
with increased accuracy, lead-time, and geographic resolution will enable more effective mitigation
approaches and can contribute to efforts to protect space-based assets and operations, foster a safer
and more sustainable space environment for human exploration and commercial space endeavors, and
protect and support the national security missions.
To sustain and enhance the national capability to provide timely characterization and forecasts of
space weather and its effects, the Federal Government should work with partners to achieve the
following:
Identify and Ensure Baseline Observational Capabilities
Timely and accurate space weather products and services are key inputs to inform operational
procedures for national security missions, space operations, and critical infrastructure services, such
as electric power grid operations, commercial aviation, and tactical communications. Understanding
how the Sun, Earth, and interplanetary space are connected as a system, and making relevant
observations of this system, are the indispensable foundation of these products and services. To ensure
adequate and sustained real-time observations for space-weather analysis, forecasting, and decision-
support services, the Federal Government will identify a baseline operational observation capability.
The observational baseline should specify the optimal mix of ground-based and space-based
observations to enable continuous and timely space weather products and services. The associated
data reception, relay, processing, assimilation, and archiving infrastructure required to utilize space-
weather observations must be included in the baseline.
2.1 Identify baseline ground-based, sea-based, air-based, and space-based operational
observation capabilities. Identifying and establishing a baseline is necessary to prioritize
critical observation capabilities that contribute to the current operational suite of space
weather products and services. This baseline can enable the development and refinement of
products and services necessary to inform the protection of systems, services, and assets that
contribute to national security operations and national critical functions. [Short-term; DOC,
DOD, DOI, DOS, NASA, and NSF]
2.2 Ensure baseline operational space weather observation platforms, capabilities, and
networks. Observations are critical to enable timely and accurate forecasting. This action
should include efforts to sustain baseline observation capabilities and identify opportunities
to increase their reliability, utilize new technologies, and reduce their cost through
4
Characterization includes measurement, assessment, and modeling of the space weather environment to
inform now-casts, situational awareness, historical studies and forensics, and attribution.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
partnerships with the private sector, academia, and international partners, as appropriate.
[Ongoing; DOC, DOD, DOI, DOS, NASA, and NSF]
Improve Observations and Modeling for Characterization and Forecasting
Improving the understanding and forecasting of space weather events requires enhancing existing
capabilities, deploying new and innovative observational platforms and technologies, and leveraging
private sector partnerships and international engagement, where appropriate. Continuing scientific
and technological advancements will enable further enhancement of observational and modeling
capabilities beyond the minimally sufficient baseline identified in Action 3.1. Coordinating and
maintaining support for this work will provide opportunities to improve the accuracy and the lead-time
of space weather forecasts. Additionally, improving the understanding and characterization of the
effects space weather phenomena have on Earth and in the space environment can improve situational
awareness, informing decision-making and enabling the execution of missions that depend on
technologies and services susceptible to disruptions from space weather.
The Nation has invested in the development of research infrastructure and predictive models to meet
the needs of a growing space-weather user community, however, existing modeling capabilities still fall
short of providing what is needed to meet these demands. To fully realize the benefits of its research
investments, the Nation should develop improved research models targeted to operational needs,
transition these research models to operational models, and incorporate them into operational
forecasts.
2.3 Support and coordinate opportunities for fundamental research in heliophysics and
geospace sciences. Understanding the underlying physical processes of the Sun that drive
space weather events, and processes in Earth’s near space environment, are necessary to
improve forecasting and enhance preparedness efforts. [Ongoing; NASA, DOI, and NSF]
2.4 Identify, develop, and test innovative approaches to enable enhanced, more
informative, robust, and cost-effective measurements. Improved measurements may
provide enhanced information about a variety of space weather phenomena, which can be
used to improve forecast lead-time, accuracy, and geographic resolution. Opportunities for
improving measurements include increased spatial and temporal resolution, fidelity,
promptness, and measurement system reliability. This action should include the utilization
of new or additional measurements provided by the private sector and the development of
novel observational approaches in partnership with the private sector and international
partners, where appropriate. This action should prioritize approaches that provide the most
improvement to space weather forecasting and characterization capabilities. [Short-term;
NASA/NSF, DOC, DOD, DOI, and DOS]
2.5 Enhance current space weather models and develop improved modeling techniques for
space weather. Testing and validation of forecasts and models is critical to ensuring their
relevance and accuracy. Key tasks for completing this action include enhancing data
integration and utilization, developing metrics to measure and evaluate the performance and
capabilities of operational and scientific models, supporting R&D to improve models, and
identifying computational resource requirements for openly running and testing operational
models. [Mid-term; DOC/NASA, DOD, DOE, DOI, and NSF]
2.6 Identify and release, as appropriate, new or previously underutilized data sets. Greater
access to existing data sets could improve the development, validation, and testing of models
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
used for characterizing and forecasting space weather events. Examples of underutilized data
sets include historical space weather relevant data from U.S. Government satellites, U.S.
Government funded ground-based observatories and networks, and in situ measurements
throughout the electric power grid. [Short-term; DOD, DOC, DOE, DOI, NASA, and NSF]
2.7 Identify mechanisms for sustaining and transitioning models and observational
capabilities from research to operations. Transitioning models from research to operations
and leveraging operations to identify gaps in research is critical to improving operational
space weather forecasts and services. Mechanisms for completing this action should include
leveraging existing capabilities and centers, such as the DOC Space Weather Prediction
Center, NASA Community Coordinated Modeling Center, or the Joint Center for Satellite Data
Assimilation, or creating a more formal framework to enhance and accelerate the transition
from research to operations, including academic, private sector, and international
partnerships, where appropriate. [Ongoing; DOC, DOD, DOS, NASA, and NSF]
Ensure Timely Dissemination of Characterizations and Forecasts Useful to Consumers
Timely notifications of an impending space weather event and its potential effects on the Nation’s
critical infrastructure and space-, air-, and ground-based national security assets are key to preparing
for the effects of space weather. These notifications must be disseminated and communicated to
decision-makers in a readable and usable format.
2.8 Enhance accessibility and sharing of observational data across the stakeholder
community. Increased access to government, civilian, and commercial space-weather
observational infrastructure and data across the globe is of mutual benefit to the United
States and its partners. Cross-sector and international cooperation in the observation and
characterization of space weather events will enhance global preparedness. [Short-term;
DOS/DOC, DOD, DOI, NASA, and NSF]
2.9 Improve the effectiveness of space weather event notifications. Improving the overall
effectiveness of space weather notifications may require strengthening mechanisms for their
communication, dissemination, and coordination. It may also require educating the public
and other recipients of these notifications regarding the potential effects of space weather
and appropriate responses in the event of notification. This action can include ensuring that
space weather events do not prevent dissemination of space weather products to consumers.
To the extent feasible, notifications should include information content that will enable rapid
selection and implementation of pre-planned response measures. In completing this action,
the Federal Government will coordinate with State, local, and Tribal governments, private
sector users and operators, international partners, and the media, as appropriate. [Short-
term; DOC, DHS, DOD, DOE, DOS, and NASA]
2.10 Engage international partners to ensure space weather products and services are
globally coordinated and consistent, as appropriate, during extreme events. As a leader
in space, the United States will continue to work through international fora such as the United
Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
5
and the World Meteorological
5
Within the United Nations General Assembly, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
governs the exploration and use of outer space. Their mandate is to strengthen international legal regimes that
govern space and to support efforts that maximize the benefits of space science and technology.
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Organization
6
to coordinate the consistent messaging and communication of space weather
events. This action should include the potential development of international standards for
exchanging space weather data. [Ongoing; DOS, DOC, DOD, and NASA]
2.11 Develop and refine situational awareness capabilities. Robust situational awareness
capabilities can enable the effective execution of missions, and the rapid detection, warning,
characterization, and attribution of natural versus man-made disturbances to technologies
and infrastructure systems critical to national and homeland security. This action should
include developing systems that provide new or additional real-time information pertaining
to satellite anomalies. [Mid-term; DOC, DHS, DOD, DOE, DOS, DOT, EPA, NASA, and Treasury]
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is responsible
for assessments and international policies regarding the behavior of the Earth’s atmosphere and its interaction
with terrestrial assets.
– 10 –
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Objective III: Establish Plans and Procedures for Responding to and
Recovering from Space Weather Events
Establishing, exercising, and enhancing operational plans and procedures to address the threat of
space weather will improve mitigation, response, and recovery capabilities. Validating operational
plans and procedures through measurement, realistic tests, and exercises is critical to ensuring their
effectiveness. Actions to improve the understanding of vulnerabilities to and effects of space weather
on critical systems and assets, as identified in Objective I, can reduce uncertainties in planning and
mitigation strategies for space weather events. Vulnerability assessments should inform operational
procedures and tests. As new technology enhances modeling or real-time monitoring of space weather
effects, updates to procedures and testing should follow. Testing these plans and procedures through
coordinated exercises can provide valuable insights for key stakeholders to validate and refine their
plans.
To establish and enhance plans and procedures for responding to space weather events, the Federal
Government should work with stakeholders, as appropriate, to achieve the following:
Improve Planning for Space Weather Events
The National Security Strategy identifies improved planning as a key component of resilience.
Performing realistic simulations and exercises can help validate mitigation strategies and preparedness
activities that are needed before, during, and after a space weather event. Exercises can increase
awareness and improve the understanding of the effects of space weather on the Nation’s critical
infrastructure, services, and functions. The feedback and lessons learned can improve the
implementation of preparedness activities.
3.1 Develop, review, and update Federal response plans, programs, and procedures to
address the effects of space weather. Integration of space weather products into national
preparedness strategies and procedures is important to enable a coordinated response to
space weather events. To the extent feasible, Federal hazard preparedness plans and programs
should account for space weather events and their potential effects. For example, these plans
should incorporate information gathered from the refined benchmarks and vulnerability
assessments identified in Objective I. [Mid-term; all Federal departments and agencies that
support national critical functions and the national security mission]
3.2 Develop and disseminate products and information on the effects of space weather that
support coordinated response and recovery efforts. Enhancing the understanding and
awareness of the potential disruptive effects of space weather is key to promoting the
integration of space weather into planning and mitigation strategies. For example, guidance on
emergency management protocols during response to space weather events can support
efforts to execute a coordinated national and global response. [Ongoing; DHS/DOS, DOC, DOD,
and NASA]
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
3.3 Facilitate information sharing to inform and enhance the operation and restoration of
critical infrastructure at greatest risk to the effects of space weather. Sharing information
on the effects of space weather on space-, air-, and ground-based systems can inform
operations, research, and models. Mechanisms to disseminate data on these effects and
information that inform best practices for preparedness can contribute to whole-of-community
coordinated approaches to mitigate space weather effects and enhance the operation and
restoration of critical infrastructures and national security assets at greatest risk. This should
include the development and sustainment of a database for satellite anomalies, such as
temporary upsets in function, loss of communications, or failure of the satellite, which can be
used to better understand the effects of space weather on satellite operations. [Ongoing; DHS,
DOC, DOD, DOE, DOI, DOS, DOT, EPA, HHS, NASA, and Treasury]
Test and Evaluate Plans and Procedures for Space Weather Events
Space weather is a global hazard that can affect infrastructures, systems, and assets across sector,
regional, state, and international boundaries. Comprehensive guidance for improving operational
protocols to enhance preparedness capabilities must consider the increasing interconnectedness of
infrastructure systems. Additionally, increasing the awareness of space weather benchmarks and space
weather attribution, characterization, and forecasting capabilities can enhance time-sensitive
operational procedures.
3.4 Assess executive and statutory authority regarding the ability to direct, suspend, or
control critical infrastructure operations, functions, and services before, during, and after
space weather events. This will inform the development of operational plans to protect
against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of space weather, prioritizing the
lifeline functions that include communications, energy, transportation, and water
management. For example, this should include the Department of Energy assessing their ability
to protect or restore the reliability of critical electric infrastructure during a grid security
emergency driven by a geomagnetic disturbance. [Short-term; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOI, DOT,
EPA, NRC, and Treasury]
3.5 Exercise Federal response, recovery, and operations plans and procedures for space
weather events. Periodic simulation and exercise that covers reaction to forecasts, mitigation,
response, and recovery activities can improve the ability of key Federal stakeholders to prepare
for space weather events. These activities may benefit from engagement with international,
State, local, tribal, and territorial governments and the private sector, as appropriate. The
results of the exercises could inform updates and revisions to appropriate Federal operating
concepts and other relevant planning documents. [Ongoing; DHS, DOC, DOD, DOE, DOS, DOT,
and NRC]
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NATIONAL SPACE WEATHER STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
Conclusion
Space weather poses a constant threat to the Nation’s critical infrastructure, our satellites in orbit, and
our crewed and uncrewed space activities. Extreme space weather events can cause substantial harm
to our Nation’s security and economic vitality. This Strategy and Action Plan provides a collaborative
and federally coordinated roadmap for strengthening our resilience to space weather events. Achieving
the objectives in this Strategy and Action Plan will require coordination and collaboration within and
across the Federal Government, as well as engagement with the commercial sector, academia, and like-
minded nations. Preparing for space weather events is an important aspect of American resilience that
bolsters national and homeland security and facilitates continued U.S. leadership in space.
– 13 –
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