WASHINGTON, D.C. - While solar flares affected electrical grids, cell phone users, soldiers in Iraq, and even astronauts on the International Space Station, a panel of witnesses warned of severe consequences if Congress eliminated or transferred the office charged with detecting and studying such space weather events.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Space Environment Center (SEC) in Boulder, CO predicts space weather, minimizing the risk to systems that rely heavily on satellite performance. 

The future of the SEC is in jeopardy as a result of proposed budget cuts.  The President requested $8 million dollars for fiscal year 2004 for the SEC.  However the House has proposed only $5.3 million and the Senate has eliminated all funding for the program, arguing that NASA or the Air Force could take over the Center's duties.

Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards Subcommittee Chairman Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) said, "It is clear from today's hearing that (1) the services that NOAA's SEC provides are unique and vital to our nation and its citizens every day, much more so than people realize; and (2) it is neither within the mandate nor the mission of the Air Force or NASA to take on these crucial responsibilities.  Such a transfer would require significant cost expenditures above the $8 million sought by the Administration for the SEC.  It would also undoubtedly cause a temporary to intermediate loss of space weather forecasting services at a time when many critical U.S. industries and the public increasingly rely on these forecasts every day." 

  Ehlers continued, "I believe this is a case of if it isn't broke than we shouldn't try to fix it.  We will certainly share these views with our colleagues on the Appropriations Committee."

"Space weather forecasting is no less essential than terrestrial weather forecasting," added Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark Udall (D-CO).  "If we do not continue to invest in space weather forecasting, we will not only enjoy gazing at the Northern lights, but we will also risk experiencing widespread blackouts. Let's keep the lights on, the planes flying and communications flowing by fully funding the Space Environment Center and its vital research and forecasting activities."

"If the House [approved] level of $5.3 is enacted, there will be dramatic consequences for SEC and the vital services it provides," testified Dr. Ernest Hildner, Director of the Space Environment Center. He added that reduced funding would result in a choice between either eliminating research and development into the effects of space weather storms or elimating forecasting and monitoring, "at a time when our services our increasingly in demand."

Colonel Charles L. Benson, Jr., Commander of the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) testified that the AFWA "aggressively reviewed" space weather operations at SEC to determine if AFWA could take on SEC duties in the face of proposed funding cuts.  AFWA concluded that meeting such a challenge would be "both time consuming and costly."  Colonel Benson stated that the AFWA relies on much of the SEC's data.  "In particular, SEC's expertise and experience in satellite-based space weather measurements from NOAA spacecraft, and its one-of-a-kind space weather modeling applications, would be very difficult to reproduce at AFWA...There would an immediate and severe impact on military operations if the Space Environment Center no longer existed."

Dr. John Grunsfeld, chief scientist at NASA, added, "It is not within NASA's mandate as a research and development agency to provide the operational forecasting services currently provided by the SEC.  In addition, the technical capacity, budget and expertise required to perform this activity could not transition to NASA without impacting our other ongoing space flight operations and research."  Grunsfeld praised the work of the SEC and added that the program had unique characteristics that were best suited for the SEC to handle.

Witnesses also testified that as the world becomes much more technology dependent, the threats from space weather would continue grow.  Dr. Robert Hedinger, Executive Vice President at Loral Skynet testified that in the satellite industry alone, "significant commercial investment and critical telecommunications services are at risk resulting from space weather effects."  Hedinger stated, "It is critical to the Commercial Satellite Industry for NOAA SEC to continue providing these services without disruption."

"In our view, this program is not an example of a government program that is broken and in search of a fix," said Hank Krakowski, Vice President of Corporate Safety, Quaility Assurance and Security at United Airlines.  "Quite to the contrary, our work in cooperation with the SEC exemplifies the use of American tax dollars at its best for the protection of U.S. citizens."

Grunsfeld added, "Losing the SEC forecast that supports space flight missions would be like living along a coastal area without any hurricane forecasting capability.  You would know when the hurricane hit you, but you would have no advanced warning, no ability to take preventative actions and no idea how strong it would be or how long it would last."