Jerry Petersen
For Geoff Crowley, chief scientist at systems engineering and integration services provider Arcfield, communication and collaboration between industry, academic institutions and the government are key to driving innovation in space weather forecasting capabilities.
Such capabilities make it possible to better understand space weather phenomena, deliver more accurate and timely forecasts and mitigate impacts on satellites, which commercial operations and national security increasingly depend on, Crowley said in an opinion column published Thursday on Via Satellite.
Examples of initiatives that foster collaboration are the American Commercial Space Weather Association; a major partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Air Force and the National Science Foundation; and legislation like the Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow Act.
These initiatives can lead to key technological developments, like better space weather models and advanced sensors, Crowley said.
